


Curiosity Killed the Feral

by Adnachie



Category: Wolverine (Comics), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Bullying, Curiosity, Difficult Decisions, F/M, Feral Behavior, Forbidden Love, Horny Teenagers, Hurt/Comfort, Mutant Powers, Mutation, Sexual Tension, Shapeshifting, Teacher-Student Relationship, Teenage Drama, Teenage Rebellion, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-30
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-04-28 22:34:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 29,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5108081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adnachie/pseuds/Adnachie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan's life is turned upside down when a new student arrives at Xavier's. A shy, feline feral with shape-shifting powers is forced under his wing as she slowly begins to mature. The problem is she's far too curious for her own good. And far too young for him to be messing with. And is far too tempting for his self control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Home

Sophie bit her lip as she was driven through the gates of her new school and home. Her Uncle Carmen and Aunty Theresa had done their best to ease Sophie's misgivings about the place. They told her it was the best place for her considering the 'circumstances'.But Sophie didn't feel comfortable in big crowds, nor around strangers. At least her cousin Kitty would be there.

The car came to a halt in front of the main entrance where a few people had gathered. Kitty was there of course, along with two other girls. Kitty rushed forward and pulled Sophie into a sisterly hug before greeting her parents.

Sophie watched the family embrace each other, feeling a bitter tang of destitute. Her father had never shown affection like that.

A man sat in a wheelchair approached her with a kind smile on his aged face. Sophie inhaled the man's scent, finding that although he was disabled he held authority. But his demeanour was kind and welcoming. She decided he was trustworthy.

"Welcome Sophie, I'm Professor Charles Xavier." The man said with a warm smile as a blue, fury man came and stood by him. "And this is Dr. Hank McCoy, a teacher and scientist here. He will be able to help you through your transformation."

Sophie, feeling shy and vulnerable answered slowly. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

"Kitty will show you around the school and later I would like to have a one to one session with you so we can determine where you are in your growth," Hank offered politely.

She simply nodded. Kitty then appeared next to her and linked her arm through hers. She led her to the two girls who stood outside the doors of the school. "Sophie, this is Jubilee and Marie."

"Hi," Sophie said quietly, raising her hand a little.

"It's nice t' meet ya," Marie said with a Mississippi accent. Sophie inspected her carefully, noting that although it was a warm, sunny day the girl wore a long sleeved top with gloves. She seemed friendly but she was tense around other people. Sophie made a mental note to be careful around her.

"Wow chica, I love your hair!" Jubilee suddenly cried out in a high pitched tone. It made Sophie jump a little.

She was surprised. People rarely commented on her hair as it was a bit odd. Her hair was a light, silvery kind of grey with natural curls that tumbled over her shoulders and chest. Her eyes were also grey and piercing. Her skin was smooth and olive with plump red lips. She didn't wear any make-up and her clothes were pretty simple.

"Thanks," she said quietly, noticing how the sparky girl smelt like bubblegum and coffee. Her clothes were bright and she was loud. But she had a positive vibe that seemed to rub off on people.

"Is that all of your belongings?" Jubilee suddenly asked looking at the large bag in her hand.

Sophie nodded tentatively. Her father never took her out to go shopping or anything.

"Well then, we have to go shopping this weekend and work on your wardrobe!" Jubilee exclaimed.

Marie rolled her eyes. "She says that every weekend."

Kitty simply tutted and led them into the school. "Well first lets show you where your room is and then we'll give you the grand tour. You'll be sharing a room with us."

When Sophie was led inside she was hit by a cocktail of smells. It left her disorientated. When she held her breathe and looked around she finally noticed how nice the interior was. There were hardwood floors throughout the building. It was beautifully decorated with fine art, posh rugs and vases placed strategically. It didn't seem like a school, but more like a home for many.

As Sophie was led to her room, she walked into a scent like she had walked into a wall. She stopped short, sniffing the air in fascination.

Somehow her mouth was watering.

Kitty noticed her stop and turned to look at her. "What's wrong?" The girl asked her cousin.

"That smell?" Sophie asked, her head up in the air. "What is it? It smells like...pine trees...and cigars?"

Jubilee chuckled, "That would be Logan, he's the only one around here who smokes cigars."

The words fell out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "Who is he? Can I meet him?" She asked, her eyes flickering between them.

The three girls looked at each other, trying not to giggle at the new girl. Marie stepped forward trying to catch Sophie's attention. "He left an hour a go and wont be back for a couple months. He's the history teacher."

When Sophie didn't move Kitty and Jubilee took her by the arms and pulled her towards their bedroom. "Don't be too eager to meet him, chica. Mr. Howllet is a real grump."

Marie snorted and walked in line with then. "He's not tha' bad when you get on his good side," she defended.

Their bedroom was quite big but between four of girls it left only a small amount of space between them. In the far corner by the window was an unclaimed bed and a wardrobe with a night stand. Sophie set her bag on the bed and began to unpack her things. The girls were kind enough to help her out and being that she didn't own a whole lot of stuff it took next to no time at all.

She was then led on a long tour of the school. Many of the teachers and students introduced themselves to her although it left her feeling bewildered and ambushed. When a load of kids from their year crowded round them a loud, confusing chatter surrounded her, not to mention the ultra cocktail of scents. Sophie turned to her cousin with an almost pleading look. "Can we go somewhere quiet?" She asked Kitty.

Kitty nodded and took her hand before tapping Jubilee and Marie on the shoulder to get their attention. Together they took one of the many lifts to the top of the school. When it opened out Sophie was surprised to see the doors open out to a greenhouse. The air was fresh and floral and the sight was beautiful. A huge variety of green foliage and colourful flowers. And best of all it was quiet with no one around except for themselves.

Sophie smiled for the first time, finding peace and quiet in the chaotic place. The four girls found a nice secluded spot amongst jasmine bushes. The smell was divine.

"So chica, is it true that you can shape-shift?" Jubilee asked out of the blue.

She looked at the girls in surprise. She hadn't really talked about her mutation before. It had been best for her not too. It only made her father angry.

Kitty, seeing her distress came to the rescue. "It's okay Sophie, there are no secrets here." She reached back and Sophie watched as her arm waved threw a thick bush of jasmine, leaving both the plant and herself undisturbed.

It wasn't the first time she'd seen Kitty's mutation working, in fact Kitty had confided in her shortly after it manifested. Sophie only wished she had been brave enough herself.

Kitty nodded to Jubilee who promptly flicked out her hands and sent out a cluster of fireworks. The smoky smell lingered for sometime and after Sophie's initial shock she actually enjoyed the show.

Eagerly she turned to Rogue, who shifted uncomfortably. "Ah absorb people's powers and their memories," she explained. "Or if they're human, their life-force."

Sophie nodded, now understanding why she was covered head to toe.

"So come on chica! Show us what you got!" Jubilee demanded, practically hopping on the spot.

After a moment Sophie caved in and changed into her smallest form, the Siberian cat. It was a simple house cat with fluffy grey fur and dark stripes. But when she climbed out of the clothes that were now too big, the response was purely heart warming.

"Awwww." The girl went in unison, which would have made Sophie blush if she could have. Suddenly the girls reached to her, making her flinch. But they were not rough, just the opposite. Jubilee scratched her under the chin as Kitty and Rogue petted her torso.

She hadn't been touched like that before, not in a loving way. At first she felt vulnerable, after all she was small and had little to defend herself with except a small set of claws. Feeling a little braver she slowly morphed into her favourite form – the white, begul tiger.

Her size increased drastically, her head higher than their own as they sat. At first they were taken back by the intimidating creature but Sophie simply lied down, clearly inviting them to pet her.

Giggling they reached over and brushed their hands against the soft, stripy fur. Soon Sophie was purring.


	2. Hair and Fur

Later on that day Hank located her and invited her to their first session. At first she was concerned, not wanting to be prodded and poke but Hank gave off a calming scent and she saw no reason not to trust him.

He led her to the lab which resided below in the school itself. It wasn't a particularly nice place for her. It was cold, sterile and looked like a hospital. As Hank gathered some papers and forms to be filled Sophie sat on a cold examining table and took the opportunity to inspect the strange looking mutant.

The strangest thing about him was his royal blue fur. She wanted to brush her hands through it to feel if it was soft or coarse. He was huge and almost appeared to be an ape. He truly looked like an animal but his voice, his scent was purely human and comfortable.

"I just need to take a few details from you," he said, picking up a pen as he sat down opposite her. "These questions will help me understand your mutation more. Afterwards I would like to take some hair, fur and a blood sample," he explained smoothly. "Is that alright?"

She nodded.

"Sophie, you're seventeen aren't you?"

"Yes," she answered quickly.

"When did you mutation first manifest and what were the circumstances?"

She paused for a moment, having to rethink the moment she first morphed. She remembered her father bounding up the stairs with such ferocity the floor boards shook. Locked in her bedroom she sat to one corner, wishing she could disappear. "I was afraid...and I wanted to hide. That's when I first turned," She said quietly. "As soon as that happened, everything smelt different and stronger."

Hank nodded, taking notes.

"Can you shape shift into anything else?"

Sophie nodded, her grey curls bouncing. "A white tiger and snow leopard." She woke as those creatures on separate mornings. She'd never forget the feeling she had when she realised she was several feet shorter than normal. Each time she changed it took her a while to get used to the new eyesight and limbs. It was different for each feline.

As the normal, grey domestic cat her vision would be wider. During the day its a little blurry, she can't see great distances but at night she could see more clearly.

It was similar for the tiger, better vision at night than her human form. But she could judge distances better than the first form she ever shifted to.

But the best vision belonged to her snow leopard form. It was considerably better than her human eyes, meaning she could spot things from a great distance,.

"Do you have any allergies?"

"None that I know of."

He asked more questions and she answered them as best as she could, relieved to finally have someone to talk to about it. The changes she had been through were confusing and exciting, but she'd never been able to talk about it. Hank listened closely then moved to one of his work benches and put on some gloves. He approached her with a pair of short, sharp scissors.

Sophie immediately tensed at the sight of them, but Hank made no harsh movements. "I would just like to take some samples of fur from each of your forms," he explained softly, pulling a curtain round the table to allow some privacy. "Could you shift into your shapes in the order they came to you? Let me know when you're ready." He instructed, stepping out of sight.

She promptly morphed into her first form, the domestic cat. Her clothes fell on top of her small frame. She had to dig her way out of them. Thanks to the strength in her hind legs and her light weight she easily jumped onto the examining table and meowed, telling him she was ready.

"Ah, the Siberian cat. It originates from Russia unless I'm mistaken," Hank said fondly, approaching the table. "Your coat is quite glossy, which means you're healthy." He explained as he snipped a small amount of fur and placed it in a petris dish. "Could you step onto the scales?"

Sophie did so and watched with her new, amber coloured eyes as Hank made notes and measured her. He then inspected her mouth and teeth, her claws and then her eyes.

"Okay Sophie, can I see your next form?"

Her body began to tingle and stretch as she grew into the large white tiger. After he had done his observations she turned into her last form, the snow leopard. Then finally she returned to her human self and allowed him to measure her height, weight and took a sample of her hair.

"That will be all for today Sophie," Hank said at last. "But I'd like to have a meeting once a week so we can measure your growth."

"Sure," Sophie answered simply.

As she made her way back to her new bedroom she caught that scent again. She found herself alone in the corridor and so wasn't abashed to inspecting it further.

God, it smells amazing. She thought to herself, a strange, intoxicated feeling coming over her. It was rich and woodsy, all male reign and rage.

Looking around Sophie's inner feline began to nibble at her ear. I should follow it...

...I'm gonna follow it.

Common sense told her to follow it up the hall, away from the main entrance. She felt a strange giddiness come over her as chased after the wild and wonderful scent. For reasons unbeknown to her she felt her cheeks heat up.

She stopped around the corner of teachers wing. It never occurred to her she might end up there but it made sense in the end. After all Mr. Howlett was the history teacher.

She peered round the corner seeing one of the teachers, Miss. Munroe, leaving her own bedroom. Sophie hid in a small alcove and waited patiently for her to leave. The white haired woman passed her but was too busy reading some papers to notice the girl. When she turned to walk down another corridor Sophie slipped out of the alcove and sneaked into the teachers wing.

Crouching low to sniff the floor Sophie followed the trail to the last door on the right. Sophie paused at the door, pondering.

Right. Well now I know where it leads. I should go and hang out with Kitty.

She didn't move.

I shouldn't go inside. I should go back...

But I want to know what its like inside...

...I'm going inside...

Sophie turned the door handle and crept inside.

The bedroom was surprisingly bare. It had very basic furniture; a double bed, wardrobe and chest of draws on either side of the bed. Above the bed was a long, intricate painting. A Japanese painting she recognised as 'The Great Wave.' Her inquisitive eyes turned to the wall opposite. Her cheeks instantly burned up.

Directly opposite the bed was another Japanese painting, but not a pretty, classic piece of art you might find in your grandmothers living room. It was a man and a woman mid copulation. The woman's legs were spread wide open and inviting as the man entered her from behind. Everything was displayed in explicit detail from the plump lips of the woman to the shaft penetrating her.

She turned to a different wall and found another painting. It must have been a collection. Each wall had a lustful picture, one even showed a scene of multiple couples. She stared at them for sometime, studying each sensual detail.

Soon she began to feel like an intruder. She managed to sneak away from the teachers dormitory and continued to explore the rest of the school.


	3. A Ticking, Fury Bomb

Despite her rationality Sophie found herself in the room again. His room. She knew she shouldn't be there, she shouldn't even be the teachers wing. But she just couldn't help it.

His scent was like a drug. It was exhilarating and fascinating, something she had never come across before. And the only place to get it was in his bedroom. 

And so since the first day she arrived at the school she had sneaked into the room and...well done many things. She often just stood looked at the pictures on the walls but it didn't take her long before she started looking through the draws and wardrobe. There weren't many belongs to go through except for a collection of unframed Japanese art. Japanese erotic art that was simply fascinating. And then there was the playboy magazine...

The clothes smelt amazing, but the bed smelt even better. Either in her human or feline form, she often found herself lying on it and inhaling the amazing musk.

Today she wasn't feeling particularly bold so she stood by the door inhaling the deep smell of a pine forest and male musk. Over the past few weeks her sense of smell had steadily become stronger so she was able to detect things that were now only a fading hint in the room. There was the underlining smell of cigars and beers that was kind of bitter but also delicious. She now detected a hint of male sweat, something that all woman found stirring.

Fast, heavy footsteps pounded down the hall, approaching the room she was in. Sophie's heart rate suddenly accelerated as she looked around in panic. She didn't recognise the rhythm of the strides but she knew they belonged to a man. She bolted into the first hiding spot, the wardrobe. As quiet as a cat she leapt into the space and lightly closed the door behind her. She was immediately hit by the smell coming off the clothes. It was a whole lot more intoxicating than the air she'd been sniffing outside.

A moment later the man entered the room and closed the door behind him. But instead of walking further into the room he stopped. 

And sniffed.

Sophie put her hand over her mouth and nose to quiet her breathing. It did nothing to hush the beat her heart was racing at.

Suddenly she was yanked out of the wardrobe by her neck. She squeaked as she came face to face with the man. The very same man whose scent had been delighting her the past couple of months.

Logan snarled at her then suddenly stopped. His eyes widened as he realised the intruder was a girl...a young girl. Who happened to be the best damn thing he ever laid eyes on. She had unusual grey hair that fell in neat ringlets past her shoulders. Her sharp, grey eyes stared up at him like a doe caught in headlights. He could smell the terror coming off her in waves which only enticed his feral side.

He tried to calm himself but the territorial Wolverine kicked in and was far too outraged. 

The Wolverine came out snarling and pissed, pushing Logan to the back of his subconscious. “Why are you in here?” He growled at her.

The girl sensed the sudden change in him and gasped. 

-Let off!- Logan cried out at the Wolverine. -You're scaring her!-

The Wolverine loosened his grip slightly but just couldn't let go of her. “Why are you in here?” He demanded, raising his voice.

“I...I caught your....scent in one of the halls,” she explained in a blind panic. “I just wanted to follow it.”

The Wolverine inhaled deeply. “You've been in here several times...” He snarled. “Why?” 

The girl didn't answer, just stared up at him as she trembled in his grip. 

“Why?!” He roared.

“I don't know! I don't know!” She cried out, trying to pull away. “...I just did,” she said weakly.

A low growl vibrated from the Wolverine's chest as he inhaled her alluring aroma. It was earthy, floral and female and together with her accelerating heartbeat she coaxed some inappropriate thoughts. But the sharp tang of fear spoilt it making the Wolverine back off enough for Logan to replace him.

Once in control, Logan released her and took several steps back. “Get out.” He ordered, pointing to the door with a shaking hand.

She flew out like a bat out of hell. He heard her light footsteps race down the hall and the stairs before a door slammed open. He looked out the window in time to see the girl flee to the trees outside. When she was out of sight he turned back to his room, inspecting and smelling the unique scent she left behind.

-She's a feral- The Wolverine whispered internally.

“Great...”

\---

He quickly unpacked his rucksack and inspected his territory. Nothing had been moved but her scent was everywhere. Her inquisitive fingers had rummaged through his draws and his wardrobe. When he realised she had flicked through his erotic art collection he cringed. 

Not long later the Professor requested a meeting with Logan, a debriefing for the next semester. When he arrived he found Hank with him, enjoying one of their in depth conversations.

“Chuck, Furball.” Logan greeted, closing the door behind him. 

“Welcome back Logan,” The Professor greeted. “Take a seat.”

He did so, the couch sighing under his great weight. Chuck moved closer to him as Hank put some papers aside.

“I wanted to talk to you about a new student we have.” He began, skipping the formalities Logan had little patience for. “She's a feral mutant, called Sophie.”

Logan snorted at the coincidence. “I've met her.”

“Well, she's not just a feral mutant. She's a shape-shifter.” Charles explained.

“Fantastic,” Logan grumbled.

“She's not your usual shape-shifter,” Hank continued, knowing his distaste for the likes of Mystic. “Sophie shifts into certain wild cats, even inherits their habits and abilities. A very special shifter indeed.”

The feral nodded, eyeing them cautiously as he wondered where this conversation was going. “Is she a trouble maker?” He asked, knowing all too well the reputation that came with shape-shifters let alone feral mutants.

Charles shook his head. “No, she's quite well behaved. But she often wanders off, following some scent that caught her attention. She's curious about everything and we often loose sight of her.” 

“Her mutation isn't manifesting all at once. First she began shifting, which she still doesn't have absolute control over. Only recently she gained a heightened sense of smell,” Hank continued, pulling out a sheet and glancing over it. “Research suggests that soon she'll be able to hear better and become territorial with increased speed and reflexes. Perhaps even greater strength. There’s no telling when her healing factor will kick in.” He looked up from the paper. “I compared her DNA with other ferals on our database – including yours – and I suspect she'll become a level four or five mutant.”

“But there is more,” Charles added, leaning in closer. “She is Kitty Pryde's cousin. Kitty's parents brought her here when they discovered she was being abused by her father.”

Logan sighed heavily. This was a recipe for disaster, he just knew it. “Her mother?”

Charles sighed. “She left them a long time a go.”

“We were hoping you would be able to help her as she matures, be a mentor.” Charles told him. “At present she is struggling with her sense of smell.”

Logan suppressed a growl, running a hand through his dark hair. The last thing he wanted was to be shackled to a ticking, fury bomb with two or four legs. “I'll do my best but I ain't promising anything.”

Charles smiled at him. “I have no doubt your best will be enough.”

 

\---

Sometime later Sophie approached the only people she felt comfortable sharing with. Using her acute sense of smell she located Kitty, Marie and Jubilee in the rec room. Jubilee was the first to spot her.

“Why the long face, chica?” The bubblegum flavoured girl asked. Kitty and Marie looked up to see Sophie looking very sheepish as she wandered over to them.

“I've done something really stupid,” she confessed, sitting opposite them.

They all leaned in closely, giving her all their attention. Cautiously she began to explain how she'd been sneaking into the Mr. Howlett's room during the past couple of months. They stared at her like she had a third eye. 

“What were you doing in there?” Kitty asked, her eyes wide.

Sophie's face heated up as she stared at her hands. “Usually I just stood and memorized his scent. Sometimes I'd lie on his bed....or look through his things.”

The girls gasped at once. “You lied on his bed?” Kitty cried.

“You went through his things?!” Jubilee exclaimed at the same time. “Did you find anything?” She asked in a hurry.

Sophie shook her head wishing she could go back in time and never enter his damn room. 

“What were you thinking?” Marie asked at last. 

The girl cringed. “I don't know. I couldn't help it.” The girl kept shaking her head, her grey curls shaking as she moved. “He came back today and found me in there. Scared the shit out of me.”

“Oh course he found you in there!” Jubilee yelled, catching the attention of some students. Kitty elbowed her sharply in the ribs. She took the hint, cueing the girls to lean in closer. “He's a feral mutant; he can smell you.” 

The colour fled from Sophie's face. “A feral? He's a feral?” she whispered, alarm bells ringing. “I didn't know that. You never told me. Why didn't you tell me?!” Sophie cried. She continued to pale as realization dawned on her. “Oh god, I went through his draws. I went through his clothes!”

The three girls stared at her blankly, unable to answer. Finally Jubilee spoke. “Ever heard 'curiosity killed the cat?'”

“Not helping,” Sophie growled.

“You do realize you have a lesson with him tomorrow, right?” Kitty reminded her.

Silence fell upon the four girls again.

At last Sophie squeaked. “Kill me. Kill me now.”

 

\-------

EDITED 17/11/15  
Okay, I'm not sure how it happened but I managed to miss a large, important chunk out of this chapter! Good thing I post this on FanFiction.net too and I keep my original copies. So sorry this happened. I hope it wasn't too confusing!

Thank you foxj804, IComeInPeace for favouriting and following! XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please oh please get it touch and tell me what you think!


	4. Bleeding Eyes

The next day Sophie woke up with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. School had never been the safe haven from home it was supposed to be. She had always been shy and meek which made her easy pickings for bullies. But over the summer break she had managed to become close friends with Kitty, Marie and Jubilee and although she'd only became acquainted with some other students she knew that the girls would look out for her. But that wasn't even the best bit.

The best part of staying in the mansion was the freedom. The freedom to shift into her comfortable forms, the freedom to wander the halls and explore, the freedom to indulge in the strange, feline desires she still didn't understand. Rather than playing games or hanging out with the other students she spent most of her days exploring and inspecting the huge building and finding cosy spots to snooze or watch the day go by. 

But there would be no time for that today. She was the first to wake up so she quickly jumped into the shower and power washed her untamed hair. Even when it was wet the curls would retain their bounciness. She hoped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her and quickly got dressed. She chose a dark pair of jeans with some tanned boots and a black t-shirt. It was all understated but recently she had a growth spurt and filled out, making her clothes snug against her slightly feminine figure.

Her first lesson was with Mr. Rasputin in art. It was a good way to start the day. She enjoyed art and was good at sketching. But being that it was the first class and she didn't know anyone she simply sat at her own work desk and followed his instructions. He was teaching them how to draw everything in proportion. 

The next class was maths, which she hated. It was boring.

When it was time for lunch Sophie first headed for the cafeteria but as soon as she walked through the door she wanted to leave. Just about the entire school was in the one room. It was noisy, smelly and all together chaotic. Not an ideal environment for a feline. She quickly grabbed a tray full of food and made a swift exit before her friends noticed.

Sophie wandered down a long corridor looking for somewhere to sit and eat before picking a door at random. Sophie opened the door to the classroom and stopped short when she realised it was already occupied. Her face reddened as soon as he looked up from his lunch and met her gaze. She looked down on the floor and made to leave. "I'm sorry, I thought this was empty."

"Stop." Logan said bluntly. He kicked out the chair opposite him. "Sit down."

Stumped for words she let the door close behind her as she slowly walked towards him. He spotted how her grey eyes looked around the room, as if she were looking for an exit. As she got closer and finally sat down opposite him he realised her nerves were fraying and she had a blush on her cheeks.

Okay, Logan thought to himself. Best defuse this before she shifts into whatever the hell she shifts into. He gathered his thoughts together, trying to make himself seem less imposing...which was hard to do when your built like a brick shit-house. 

She sat opposite him poking at her food but was sitting bolt upright, ready to flee.

He took a deep breath, summoning all his self control and pushing aside his pride. "I'm sorry for scarin' you yesterday," he began, trying to catch her eye. "We ferals...can be pretty territorial."

The girl nodded, not looking up from her tray. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been in there." 

Logan nodded, hoping it would be enough to ease her anxiety. It did...A little. She was still tense like a bow string but she finally began eating her lunch.

An awkward silence fell between them, one Logan couldn't stand. He found his eyes wandering over her. In his rage yesterday he hadn't taken the time to fully inspect her. Her unusual grey hair was glossy and sleek, even in its tight curls. She had olive skin with plump red lips which were perfectly bite-able. She was tall for her age and well developed. She had a tiny waist which was accentuated by grab-able hips and pert, round breasts. As his eyes glided down the smooth curves of her chest his jeans promptly became too tight and uncomfortable. 

Logan coughed, choking on a bit of food momentarily. He cursed himself for his inappropriate thoughts. He was certain she would catch the hint of arousal he gave off. His heart fell in his chest as he saw her frown and twitch her little nose.

"Have ya experienced that yet?" Logan suddenly asked, making the girl jump. "I mean...bein' territorial? Has it kicked in yet?" he asked as he mentally kicked himself for startling her but also congratulated himself for creating a distraction. It was a blessing that she was inexperienced when it came to scents and smells.

"I...er...no. Not really." she answered, finally looking up at him. "I share a room with three other girls so-" Sophie stopped suddenly just as voices passed the room they were in.

"So whose that new girl with the grey hair?" a boy asked. Logan recognised it as Bobby Drake, one of the lucky few to spend the summer with his family.

"Oh that's Sophie Pryde, Kitty's cousin. I heard her dad beat her." Jon aka Pyro said casually, making the Wolverine inside rage.

"She's a shape-shifter and a feral..." another boy explained, which was about the point where Logan stopped listening. 

He looked at Sophie whose stared down at her plate. The smell of shame and hurt was pouring off her so piercingly he couldn't stand it. He wanted to reach out and touch her but knew it would be too inappropriate. 

"Hey. Don't sweat it." He told her. "Today they're talkin' 'bout you. Tomorrow it'll be someone else.” Logan told her as soothingly as he could. “But soon you'll know everyone's secrets and then ya can get pay back." Logan said with a grin.

He thrilled when he saw her lips twitch into a cheeky smile. "Well...I already know a few..."

He looked at her, amused. "Oh yeah?"

She nodded her smile broadening a little, seeming proud of herself. It was cute. "I know where Colossus hides his Russian vodka..." she said nervously, wondering if she should be sharing that with a teacher. "...and I know that Dr. McCoy likes Miss Munroe and that she likes him too but their too shy to do anything."

"Y'know any of mine?" Logan asked suddenly. "I know you went through my draws." He pointed out, making the girl blush. "For example what's in my bedside draw.” He added. He didn't know why he said it. He just did.

Feeling a little brave she smiled cheekily, "It's nothing compared to the stash of porn Mr. Summers has hidden in the garage."

Logan's eyes widened, a grin on his face. "In the garage?"

Sophie nodded, biting her plump lower lip. "It made my eyes bleed."

The teacher chuckled, deciding to check it out for himself later. Could be some good blackmailing material. "That's the thing with scents, you never know where they're going to take you."

The girl nodded sheepishly and continued eating her lunch. He turned to his meal and did the same, silently racking his brain for something to say. After a while he spoke.

“Hank and the Professor asked me to mentor you through your growth.” Logan said as casually as he could. Try as he might he couldn't ignore her heart beat skitter a little, nor the effect that had on him. Was it out of fear or excitement she responded in that way? “We'll meet everyday at six, starting tomorrow,” he said firmly, making it clear that it was not up for debate.

“Okay,” Sophie said quietly, avoiding his eye. Just as he opened his mouth to ask her something the bell went. The harsh, assaulting sound always made him jump and irate. She picked up on that instantly so she smoothly got up and gathered her things. 

“I'll see you later Mr. Howlett,” Sophie said sheepishly, knowing she'd be seeing him in class later.

“Hmp,” Logan grunted, feeling an odd mix of emotions from hearing her call him by his teacher title.

 

_____

 

Throughout her biology and English lessons she found it hard to concentrate. In biology they were learning how cells worked which was dull. In English they began to read Wuthering Heights. At first she found it hard to follow the famous novel, but when the moors were described it perked a feline interest in her. She hadn't been anywhere so remote or wild. It caught her curiosity.

But her interest was mostly focused on her last class. History.

She had never shown a particular interest in History but since the moment she was caught in her teachers bedroom she was on edge about the lesson. And meeting Mr. Howlett again only fuelled her discomfort. 

He had been calm and kind but Sophie had noticed his tense posture and dominating attitude. She instantly recognised his authority and although she agreed to his terms she wondered what kind of reaction she'd get if she had refused.

Sophie followed the other students into the room, relieved that the windows were open. It was a warm day and the smells coming off her fellow students and teachers had been disorientating her most of the day. She realised that Mr. Howlett probably had the same problem. 

Everyone took a seat. Sophie took one desk at the back. 

Sophie promptly pulled out a fresh notebook and pen, ready to make notes from the class.

Logan waited for his class to sit down. Sophie aside, he had taught all of them before so they knew he didn't tolerate tardiness or chatter. His eyes prowled the room in a silent headcount. They landed on the grey eyes girl and lingered a little, taken aback by their striking colour. When she looked up at him expectantly he turned away, wondering if his eyes could bleed from the divine sight.

Clearing his throat he picked up a blackboard marker and began his lesson on World War II.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please oh please tell me what you think guys!


	5. Moth to a Flame

A light knock on his classroom door startled Logan from his paperwork. He hadn't heard anyone walk down the hall.

"Yeah?" He called out, looking down at his papers.

The door opened so quietly he couldn't tell who was entering till the rush of air came in, carrying a scent so unique and enticing he immediately looked up.

Sophie stood by the door waiting for some instruction from him. She wore a simple black top with a green, tartan skirt that ended just above her knee and black boots. With her womanly figure but innocent appearance her age would have been hard to guess. Her demeanour was timid and cautious, like a cat walking into someone else's territory.

Logan realised he would have to rein in his temper if he wanted to teach her anything. He pushed his paperwork to the side, deciding that the painfully shy girl needed his undivided attention.

"Take a seat Sophie," he instructed in the softest tone he could manage. But with his gravelly voice it came out awkward and false. 

Sophie took a seat at the front of the class, sitting with her hands in her lap. Her unusual hair fell over her shoulders like a chaotic waterfall. 

Logan pulled out a box from under his desk. “Close yer eyes.”

The girl complied, her long lashes dusting her cheeks. Logan picked up one of the items from the box and held it in front of her face a few inches away. “Smell it,” he told her, watching the girl's nose twitch. “Who does it belong to?”

“Dr. McCoy,” She answered quickly. His scent was unique.

“Hmp.” Logan grunted, picking up another item he had swiped from various bedrooms. “Try this.”

She pulled a face at the offensive amount of cologne. “Mr. Summers.”

“Yeah. I don't like his cologne either,” Logan smirked. He picked up another.

“I think that belongs to Taileigh,” Sophie said, remembering one of the girls from her class.

“Can ya tell me anythin' 'bout her from her scent?” He asked her, still holding it up.

She leaned forward to inspect in with her nose. “...she uses perfume...and coconut shower gel.”

“Good. Go find her.” Logan said unexpectedly.

Sophie opened her eyes and stared at him. “What?”

“I want ya to turn into a cat and go find her.” He said slowly. “I'll time ya.”

When he reached for his watch the girl suddenly stood up, very close to him. She stood just above his shoulder, giving him a heavy dose of the earthy scent of from her hair. He held his breathe, trying not to inhale anymore of her enchanting scent. 

Suddenly she shrank down to the floor. Her clothes fell about a four legged form. Sophie appeared out of the garments as a regal looking snow leopard with wide paws and thick, soft fur. Her coat was grey and white with black spots and patches. Her tail was long and thick, which helped her balance rough terrain. But her eyes were still the stark grey colour that stirred something primal in him.

Sophie reached up and sniffed the garment one more time before launching into a sprint. Logan watched the leopard dart into the hall and smell the ground. Fondly he watched the regal animal wander round in a circle before she dashed out of sight.

Logan turned and walked back to his desk, trying to ignore the bundle of clothes Sophie left behind and the aroma they diffused. He spent a couple minutes marking papers before a noise upstairs caught his attention. A girly squeal followed by a sudden thump on the floor, continued by various chimes of laughter. He chose to ignore it. If he investigated ever bump or squeal in a mutant school he'd never get anything done.

Less than sixty seconds later the snow leopard flew into his class room. He looked up in time to see the animal skid across the polished floor before disappearing behind his desk. A light bump followed making everything on his desk judder.

A wide smile found it's way to his face as Logan committed the moment to his memory. Soft footsteps made their way round his desk. Sophie strode over to Logan and placed her two front paws on his leg. She leaned up and dropped something in his lap before sitting back on her hind legs.

Logan picked it up and realised it was a jacket belonging to the girl he sent Sophie after. She brought it back as as a trophy. A very cat like behaviour. He wished he had seen the endangered animal pounce and wrestle the jacket off her unsuspecting prey.

“Three minutes and forty-two seconds," he said, looking at his watch. "You're a good tracker." He reached down to pet her. Sophie flinched, startled by the movement directed at her. Logan cursed himself but held out his hand to her. After a moment she reached forward and rubbed her head into the palm of his hand. Her fur was warm and soft to touch.

He picked up another garment and held it out for her to inspect. "Try and beat your first time," he said, starting the timer on his watch. She took a long sniff and recognised the scent; Miss Munroe. She flew out of the classroom and went to the closest spot she could be - her classroom.

Sophie darted down the hall but was disappointed to find she wasn't there. She put her nose to the ground and found a recent scent left behind by the teacher. At her top speed Sophie raced across the school, leaping up stairs until she reached the greenhouse. Miss Munroe was tending to a bed of flowers. Wasting no time Sophie ran over and quickly swiped one of her gardening tools, ignoring the woman's protests. 

The feline used the strength in her legs to launch herself down the stairs and to Mr. Howlett. This time she managed to redirect her skid so instead of slamming into the desk she slid past it. Once she was back on all fours she reached up and dropped the tool in his lap. She was having fun.

Logan grunted when the heavy, pointy object hit his crotch. He quickly recovered, giving Sophie a scratch behind the ear as a reward. She didn't beat her time but seeing as her target was on the top floor he knew it wasn't for lack of trying. Her accelerated heartbeat and playful attitude told him that.

He sent her off again which led her outside. It was tricky as the wind blew away scents till they were very faint. But she persevered with her nose to the ground. She was led to the basket ball court where some of the younger kids were enjoying a game. Her excitement getting the better of her Sophie flew into the fray and began darting across the court, inspecting each player. They called out in frustration but she ignored them until she located her target. Knowing that the clock was ticking she raced over to him as he was dribbling the ball, jumped up and swiped his hat. The boy tried to chase after her but she broke into a run so fast he didn't have a chance. 

Sophie raced back to her mentor and managed reach him without crashing into anything. Again she placed her trophy in his lap for inspection. In return he gave her another friendly pet under her chin. He could feel the vibrations of her purr in his fingers and found the sound soothing.

“Alight Alright. Back to work,” he said taking his hand away. “Now go and give these back. But don't get caught.”

Eager for more fun and games Sophie picked up the items in her mouth and went about her new challenge. 

First she located Taileigh's bedroom and and placed her garments on her bed.

Then she sneaked into the boys room and placed his sports cap on his bedside table.

Afterwards she crept into the teachers wing and returned Dr. McCoy and Mr. Summers' garments. 

Lastly she made her final trip to the greenhouse where Miss Munroe was still working. When the woman's back was turned Sophie inched closer and silently set the tool on the ground beside her. Sophie had disappeared by the time she turned and found her tool.

Calmly, Sophie sprinted back to Mr. Howlett who was still up to his neck in paperwork.

Logan stood from his desk to pick up an exercise book. When he turned back to his desk Sophie was perched on it, looking up at him with expectant eyes. He was taken aback. No one sneaked up on him.

Sighing Logan sat in his chair. “Ya return everything?”

She meowed at him, flashing him her sharp teeth.

“Sorry kid, I don't speak cat,” he said with a smirk. He thought for a moment. “Alright, say yes.”

She meowed, a short high pitched call.

“Say no.”

She meowed again but it was slightly lower than the last.

“I got it, but yer gonna have to make it clearer for other people,” he told her. “Now try again. Say yes.”

It returned she meowed a yes but jerked her head upwards.

“Good. Say no.”

She did it again, slightly lower and bobbing her head down once.

"Good. We'll continue this tomorrow," Logan told her, turning his attention to his paperwork. Sophie hopped off the desk. After a moment Logan heard her call to him in her leopard tongue. He looked up to see her staring at him. When he frowned she pawed at her pile of clothes on the floor.

"Ah." For the first time he felt his cheeks burn. He could only hope that his side burns disguised his unmanly blush. He should have realised she'd need privacy to get back into her civilian shape.

Logan got to his feet and quickly exited the classroom. With his arms crossed he stood guard by the door, his sensitive ears burning with curiosity. Her morph was soundless but he could hear her bare feet on the polished floor.

It was that moment a certain redhead appeared wearing a red dress too provocative for a teacher. Instead of intercepting her stride Logan looked down to the ground, cursing his ears for hearing the click of a bra fastening and the brush of underwear on a thigh from within his own classroom. 

Jean approached him clouded in a fiery cloak of sexuality that burnt his nose.

"Jean," he said carefully, his back to the door.

"I thought you'd come and see me," the redhead said saucily, looking at him from under her thick lashes. 

Logan's ears caught the shuffle of a top and the crawl of a zip. “I've been busy.”

Jean nodded, biting her lip. “How was Canada?”

“Cold.” 

She nodded, her eyes meeting his and holding his gaze. “You should have stayed home.”

All sound faded away from him as Jean's scent heavy with arousal suffused his senses. The firm, steady beat of her pulse filled his ears as her dark green eyes absorbed him. Like a moth to a flame he stepped closer to her.

The classroom door opened suddenly, snapping him out of his lust filled stupor. Sophie quietly stepped out of the room, fully human. Her curls fell about her shoulders in a glossy mess. She held herself, reverting to her coy side. “I'll see you tomorrow Mr. Howlett.” 

Logan nodded to the girl, “See ya tomorrow.” He said before slipping into his classroom, leaving Jean high and dry.

Sophie walked off to find her friends trying to ignore the unusual, char smell that filled her nostrils. Despite the unpleasant smell she had a wide smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, thought it'd be fun to do a cameo of my lovely follower Taileigh2294
> 
> XD


	6. Flamebitch

Sophie's first week at school went by in a whirlwind of development and enjoyable chaos. Although she hadn't made any friends aside from Kitty, Marie and Jubilation she had become acquaintances with some others.

There was Bobby Drake, a potential boyfriend of Kitty, who was nice and amicable. He seemed to be genuine. He was pretty popular, like a poster boy for the mutant school.

Kurt Wagner was super friendly if a little shy. His unusual appearance set him apart from most of the kids at the school so he was a little withdrawn. 

However, Sophie was not so keen on John Allerdyce. He wanted to be known as Pyro because of his mutant power so manipulate fire. But as far as Sophie was concerned it was a power to destroy. The boy stank of smoke and aggression. He was sarcastic, shifty and dishonest. And further more he seemed to take delight in other people's misfortunes and was not above making fun of his fellow students.

Each student received spending money from the school per month to buy personnel and luxury items. All week Jubilee had been pestering Sophie about what she was going to spend with hers. Aside from much needed clothes, she didn't have any idea until she passed the dance studio on her way to lunch. 

Beside the studio was a timetable of classes and activities taking place, ranging from ballet, tap dancing, cheerleading and even ballroom dancing. She wasn't particularly interested in those forms of dance, but it did spark a longing she buried deep down some time ago.

When she was younger she joined the gymnastic club at school, then quickly moved on to aerial dancing. She had been good at it. But after her mother walked out Sophie had been all but permanently grounded so she hadn't been able to continue the classes.

Unfortunately her monthly allowance didn't cover the cost of aerial silks. So Sophie handed in request form to the school admin office which had been accepted. Once she got her dancing gear she'd be ready to start practising. 

\----

Every Saturday one of the teachers drove a minibus of students to the city. The faculty took it in turns to drive the bus.

That particular weekend it was Logan's turn to take the brats out. He waited outside of the bus, writing down names of his passengers so he wouldn't leave anyone behind on the return journey. As he waited for the rest to turn up, he watched Jean and Scott leave the school. Jean was as sensual as ever, wearing tight fitted clothes that made her walk slinky and inviting. As they approached their car her heated gaze found him and lingered on him for longer than was necessary. Heat rose from under his skin, burning and inciting him to drop the damn clipboard and stride over to her.

The wild blew into him carrying a pure and earthy scent. When his eyes landed on Sophie Jean was all but forgotten. She walked with Jubilee, Kitty and Marie following behind. Her grey curls bounced in the wind. Her bright eyes sparkled with delight as she chatted to her friend; she seemed pretty excited about something. 

Her feline senses must have kicked in because her gaze landed on him. She smiled sweetly, making his blood soar. Disturbed he looked down at the clipboard and quickly jotted down the passengers names.

The four girls were followed by Bobby, John and Kurt. 

Once they were all on board Logan climbed into the drivers seat and started the grim duty. The minibus choked to life, the engine a pleasant distraction from the excessive chatter. Save for one.

“Sophie, tell me you've decided what you're going to buy today?” Jubilee asked, her voice ringing loud and clear above everyone else's.

“I need to get a leotard to dance in,” Sophie replied, her voice smooth and sweet like honey.

Kitty leaned forward, suddenly excited. “You're dancing again?”

She nodded. “Yep. The Professor approved my request for the aerial silks.”

“The what silk?” Jubilee asked.

“Is that like a trapeze?” Rogue asked, a bit more on the ball.

“Yeah. I dance on long stands of silk hanging from the ceiling,” the feral explained.

Logan tensed in his seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. That sounded dangerous.

“Aren't you afraid of falling?” Jubilee asked. 

Sophie shrugged. “That's half the fun.”

“Maybe you have nine lives,” Jubilee suggested.

“Or thirty-six,” Kitty said suddenly, acquiring some odd looks. “Nine for each form.”

Sophie giggled harmoniously. “I won't be testing that theory.”

\---

Logan parked the bus in a large car park close to the mall. He stood from the driving seat before any of the kids could jump off.

“Get back 'ere for five or I'm leavin' your ass behind.” He said firmly, his eyes locking on Jubilee.

She simply huffed. “It's not my fault, five hours isn't enough time to shop,” she said defiantly standing up and pushing past him. Kitty, Rogue and Sophie followed, the latter tossing him an apologetic look. 

As the rest poured out off the bus he watched the feline walk away, her long legs carrying her easily across the car park as she chatted with Marie. Even though she spoke quietly, her voice reached him clearer than any other.

Shaking his head clear he locked up the bus and went to find the nearest mechanics to get repairs for his bike. 

\---

A few hours later Sophie found herself trying on an insane amount of costumes at the behest of Jubilee. She didn't understand the idea of understated. Nor did she understand that fiddly, drapey costumes were a bad idea; she'd get tangled in them whilst on the silks. She needed something simple and comfortable.

She came out of the dressing room wearing a red, sparkly leotard. Jubilee clapped her hands excitedly, until the moment Sophie turned to look in the mirror. 

Her friends fell silent. The disturbing sense of shock and disquiet blew against her like a cold fan. She turned to look at them, the sight of their revulsion and apathy turning her stomach. Her cousin was particularly pale. Her eyes flickered to the mirror behind her just as she swallowed a lump in her throat. Sophie followed her gaze, realising what had disheartened her. 

The leotard was low cut, showing the mismatch of scars across her back. An array pink slashes decorated her back, a beacon of the abuse her father inflicted on her. He usually chose to belt her there. It would cause her pain for several days but the evidence was hard to find. Sophie had often skipped gym class to avoid stares and any repercussions.

Like a cornered animal Sophie backed off to the changing cubicle, muttering softly. “...I think I'll choose the black velvet one.”

Her friends remained quiet as she changed. When Sophie stepped out there was no sign of Jubilee or Kitty. Marie sat waiting for her with a sympathetic smile on her face.

“Kitty ran off. She's a little upset,” Marie told her in an honest but kind tone. 

Nodding Sophie quickly bought the costume, deciding not to be deterred by the incident. They were bound to see the scars at some point. She picked up the rest of her shopping bags and went to the exit.

Marie walked beside her as they left the store, a calmly presence. “Do they hurt?” she asked her softly.

After a moment Sophie shook her head. “Not physically,” she answered, hoping those two words would be enough to explain and end the subject.

Mercifully Marie said nothing else. Sophie easily picked up her cousins scent and located her a little way off, accompanied by Jubilee. Tears filled her eyes. Feral scents were not needed to interpret her sobs. An aura of guilt and loathing surrounded her. 

Biting down her own heavy weight of shame Sophie pulled her into a warm embrace, Kitty's face burrowing into her thick hair. Her sobs shook her. Sophie tried her best to comfort her cousin with soothing strokes. “It's not your fault,” she told her. “You didn't know.”

Just as Kitty began to calm, a cocky voice snapped Sophie out of their personal moment. 

“I think it's someone's time of month...” John said with an arrogant smirk on his narrow face.

A hiss escaped from Sophie before she could stop it. Hostility ran up her spine like a pinpricks, rising up aggression she didn't know she had. “Go fuck yourself John!” 

The boy blinked at her, taken aback by the shy girl's sudden outburst. “Did you just hiss at me?”

“Why don't you get lost and set fire to a rainforest, Flamebitch?” Sophie snapped.

John scoffed. “Someone steal your tuna pussycat?” 

“Shut up John,” Rogue and Jubilee said together. The girls inadvertently behaved like a pack when one of their own was under attack, highly defensive and volatile.

Ignoring the enmity around them Bobby stepped towards Kitty. Sophie pulled her senses together and decided he was approaching her warmly so she released her cousin and allowed her to move closer to her love interest. “Are you okay?” he asked her in a tone that displayed genuine concern.

Kitty simply nodded and to that Sophie was grateful.

“Is anybody hungry?” Kurt said, trying to distract his classmates.

“Hell yeah!” Jubilee suddenly said, her emotions flipping faster than a light switch. “I could kill for some waffles.” 

A smile spread across Kurt's face when Jubilee hooked an arm through his and led the way to the food court. Bobby and Kitty followed with John walking beside them. 

Marie stood beside Sophie and watched as the bad blood fell away from the feral. The coy girl returned, her eyes widening all of a sudden. “Did I just call John...Flamebitch?” she asked incredulously. 

Her friend snorted, a wide smile on her face. “Yer sure did,” she chimed in her Southern accent.

Sophie shook her head, troubled by the inexcusable outburst. “I don't know what came over me.”

“Ah' do,” Marie offered. “It's yer feral side, sugah.”

Sophie looked at her. “How do you know?”

“Ah' absorbed some o' Logan once. Still 'ave a bit of him inside me,” Marie explained casually.

Sophie's eyes furrowed, feeling an inexplicable pang of envy. “You mean Mr. Howlett? How did that happen?”

Calmly Marie told her how she met him back in Canada. She hitched a ride off him and through a turn of events both ended up at the school. As they wandered the food court Marie told her how a mutant named Magneto abducted her and used her so his dream of mutant prosperity could be realised. Logan and the X-Men came and saved the day but nearly at the cost of her life. He allowed her to absorb him and his healing factor despite knowing it could kill him.

Sophie hung on her every word, fascinated by the new information about her mentor. It showed him in a different light. He was still intimidating but also appeared heroic and selfless. There were many things to discover about him beyond his enticing scent. For a fleeting moment she couldn't help but wonder if he'd do the same for her if the occasion called for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always rate and review! XD


	7. The Most Annoying Seagull in the World

All morning Sophie felt off. When she tried to climb out of bed her legs got tangled in the bed sheets and so she tumbled out and onto the floor. Jubilee promptly burst into a fit of laughter which was a rude awakening for Kitty and Marie. 

It took her a little longer to get changed, because she initially put her clothes on inside out....and back to front. It was the one time she felt lucky for Jubilee's critical eye. 

Art class wasn't too difficult when she eventually got there. Somehow she had gotten herself completely turned around and ended up in the labs, which was on the other side of the school. Luckily for her Mr. Rasputin was forgiving. She sat down at her worktop and practised sketching but her concentration was lacking.

Maths was hideous. Her focus was entirely missing. Not one number or sum was absorbed. She spent most of the lesson staring out of the window and day dreaming about being outside in the sun. If she had thought to check her schedule for her next class her day dreams would have taken a completely different turn.

“Sophie....Sophie!”

“Huh?” The girl said, her head snapping to the teacher for the first time that lesson.

Sniggers and giggles erupted around her making her feel unsettled as she couldn't place the sounds. Her head whipped around the class, trying to locate them. 

“Sophie!” 

“Yes?” The girl squeaked, turning her gaze back to the Mr. Summers.

Even with his shades on Sophie could read the disapproval on his face by the way his eyebrows lowered. “Eyes front,” he said simply.

“Sorry.”

Not long after the bell went. Sophie rose from her desk sharply but was hit by a wave of dizziness. As the students rushed to the door they whizzed pass her, inflaming her disorientation. Not wanting to be late for another lesson she pushed passed it and left the classroom.

The corridor around the Maths rooms were particularly narrow, so when she walked into it she was emerged into a bustling crowd of students chatting and pushing to get to their next class. The smells were confusing and overpowering which was fuel to her faintness. Within moments she lost her bearings.

 

\---------

 

The first thing Logan did before he began his class was to locate his favoured student, Sophie. But her seat was empty and he noticed it mostly due to the lack of bright, curious eyes fixated on him. He felt an odd sense of longing for that expectant gaze of hers, like she saw him as some kind of alpha figure. He wondered where she was and in what form. He may have to go looking for her just to be sure she was safe.

A cough from another student brought him back to his more present responsibilities. He began the lesson quickly recapping the events that began WWII, one eye glancing back at the empty seat at the back of the classroom. 

He looked again one last time before he turned to the board to begin a time frame. Two minutes later he heard the click of the door. He turned to see Sophie sitting in her usual seat, book out and pen in hand. She sat up expectantly, trying to seem like she had been there the entire time but unable to hide the concern that he may have rumbled her.

How did she do that? No one could sneak up on him. 

He decided to let it go and continue with the lesson. But he could smell her disease. She was restless. Her eyes dashed across the room from spot to spot, distracted by something or another. Logan tried to figure out what was bothering her but couldn't do if whilst juggling a classroom of kids.

The reason uncovered itself when the bell went. The miniature hammer slammed again the brass bell as if it was banging against his skull. Sophie gasped and jumped in her seat. She covered her ears and shook under the assaulting sound. 

Unhappy with her distress Logan strode across the room, unsheathing his claws. He reached up and tore the damn bell off the wall. The class turned and watched him with wide eyes. "Class dismissed."

As one the class rose and left at once, leaving one student behind. 

Sophie's ears were ringing but it wasn't enough to drown out everything else. A barrage off sounds hit her the moment the school bell went. As the entire school went to lunch a chorus of footsteps spread across the school vibrating over the hardwood floors. Chatter erupted all over the building. It was like multiple drums inside her head. “Everything is so loud!” She groaned through gritted teeth.

Logan rested his hand on her trembling shoulder realising that her enhanced hearing had just kicked in. Even he had trouble dealing with the noises of the lunch rush. Gently he wrapped his hand around her upper arm and pulled her up. He led her to the large window at the back of the class room, noticing how her new ears was messing with her balance. He opened the window and climbed out, his feet sinking into the lush grass. Sophie had become tense and frustrated, seeming to follow him blindly. He helped her through the window and quickly led her to the trees, away from the school building with one hand on her back.

When they reached the trees Sophie leaned against a tall pine tree, wincing in pain. The noise had hit her so hard she couldn't block them out nor tell them apart. Her head felt like it was going to burst.

Logan gently pushed down on her shoulders, guiding her to the ground. She knelt down trembling. The whirlwind of emotions rolling off her and veracious heartbeat told him what she was feeling; frustration, fright and despair. Logan knelt down beside and pulled her into his arms. He rested her head against his chest and inhaled her sweet scent. He then placed one large hand over her ear and the other lightly smoothed over her thick hair.

“Relax kid,” he said soothingly. “Just listen to me.”

Sophie closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, absorbing the fresh smell of damp grass and pine. But more potent than that was Mr. Howlett's aroma. It was calming but still heady. Rich with male musk yet vivid with earthy and natural spices.

His heartbeat thumped again her ear like a steady drumbeat. It was strong and evenly paced like a booming pendulum. She focused on it, closing her eyes and breathing slowly as he held her close.

In his strong arms as he brushed her hair Sophie began to calm down. The chatter of the entire school began to fade away metre by metre, his heartbeat began to quiet down to its usual volume. Eventually the surrounding sounds were at a reduced volume yet clearer and crisper. 

He had known from the offset that the way he held her was far from a teacher's responsibility. But what about a mentor? Was it really so wrong for him to comfort her in a way only he knew how? One part of him said no, that all he was doing was helping her through a difficult time in her growth. She couldn't be expected to deal with it alone.

But the way he held her spoke different volumes. His large arms were wrapped around her, one hand covering her ear but also her soft, warm cheek. His other hand ran through her hair which was one part soothing to a feline but another part affectionate to a woman. He didn't hold her like a mentor should, but like she was something precious.

Eventually Sophie regained her head space. She moved away from him smoothly, rubbing her temples to ease the lingering headache she had. Logan quickly took him arms back and folded them in front of him. She looked up at him with wonderment marred by a wince at the ache in her head.

“Is it always like that?” Sophie asked him quietly.

He shook his head. “You learn to filter it out,” he told her.

“How?” She asked disbelievingly. 

Logan got to his feet and held out a hand to her. “I'll show you.”

Curiosity tugged her hand into his. He pulled her up to her feet and led her to the lake. When they stood by the waters edge the school was all but out of earshot. Instead there was the brush of small waves across the pebbles, the cry of seagulls and the whisper of wind. 

He sat down on the grassy bank by the lake, sitting cross legged with his hands resting on his knees. Sophie followed his lead and sat down beside him.

“Close ya eyes,” he told her. “Focus your attention on the breath and on how your body moves with each inhalation and exhalation,” he instructed calmly.

She did so, straightening her back like his and relaxing her shoulders. She concentrated on the breath going in and out of her nose, the rise and fall of her chest. It was hard to concentrate on one thing. All around her were intriguing smells and distracting sounds. Her mind was yanked away from her breathing when a seagull squawked above her. She could hear the beat of its wings travel over the lake side and into a tree where the leaves were rustling and something was tapping relentlessly at the tree. Soon her mind was far away from her breathing exercise. 

Logan sensed her tension build up. Something had caught her ears and it was irritating her. “Focus on your breathing,” He reminded her. “Observe how ya chest, shoulders and belly move. Make no effort to control ya breath; simply focus your attention on it.” He explained, reiterating lessons that had once been taught to him. “If your mind wanders, return your focus back to ya breathing.”

She tried again, this time focusing her attention on herself and how each part of her moved. She managed it for a while, but her senses were picking up all kinds of strange and new things. And well...felines were easily distracted.

After fifteen minutes he turned his head to watch her. He watched her battle her overpowering senses for a taste of tranquillity. She would frown one moment then relax the next. It was not how meditating should be but he admired her effort.

“That's enough for today,” he said when he sensed her at her limit. 

Sophie opened her eyes and turned to him. “That was hard.”

He nodded, understanding the frustration that came with vamped up senses. “I want you to meditate daily, as often as you can. It'll help in the long run.” 

She nodded and fell back onto the grass, staring at the sky. Her grey eyes were centred on the pestering seagull that flew overhead with endless spouts of squawking.

“Take the day off but when your ready go and update Hank,” he told her, getting to his feet. “I'll tell your teachers, so if it get to much for ya in class you can ask to be excused.” He went to leave but she picked up the sounds of his shoes on the grass.

“Mr. Howlett?” Sophie called out softly, sitting up to look at him. He met her piercing gaze. She hesitated, pondering whether she should say what she originally intended or not. Logan watched closely, trying to decipher her cryptic expression. The tender moment they had shared was still hot on his mind and he wondered if she had felt it too.

“Thank you,” she said at last.

Logan nodded and walked away, deciding it was best he didn't know. He heard Sophie lie back down on the grass and sigh in a way that intrigued him. 

“I'm going to kill that bird...” she groaned to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the lateness for this one. Was finding it pretty hard...also I was stoned all weekend so I wasn't very productive XD


	8. Fight-or-Flight

Logan sat in the library enjoying a rare moment of solitude. Being that it was a Sunday, the kids rarely ventured into any room related to learning and development. He didn't blame them. But it was one of the few opportunities he had to study and understand his personnel ward.

These days Sophie was often at the forefront of his mind. Not only did he have sessions with her every weekday but he often spent time trying to locate the damned girl. Ever since her hearing kicked in her feline characteristics had been unlocking one after the other. 

First it was her nocturnal cat that awoke. She liked to stay up so she was always the last kid to go to bed and that was only after he had personally sent her. But that only seemed to incite her playful side. She quickly realised that he'd always come looking for her so she'd treat it like a game of hide and seek, therefore picking sneakier spots to hide. It was a tiresome habit but it was the only time Logan put his hunting skills to any use. He couldn't deny the sense of pride he had when he eventually found her.

The animal inside him recognised the inner nomad in her so whenever she went on one of her wanders she could be anywhere between the lush greenhouse on the top floor to the laundry room in the basement. It all depended on what mood she was in. 

He was slowly beginning to form a pattern of her behaviour. During lunch breaks she would normally be outside or in the greenhouse. She would never venture into the cafeteria. If she wanted some time alone she could be snoozing in the laundry cupboard, spying from a bookshelf, pestering bugs or small rodents outside or even hiding under a rug (but she soon stopped that after she was trodden on a couple times.)

Her curious and playful nature did concern Logan at times. He often worried that she might get stuck or hurt. He could only hope that her human common sense was still with her whenever she took to her feline form. 

All of this led to him spending his afternoon in the library, reading all he could about cats. The information was an endless stream of ifs and buts. He had already witnessed her 'gift-giving' trait when she retrieved items from the people she had 'hunted'. She often displayed 'mad cat' moments and she'd dash around the building, probably because she had extra energy to burn. Her latest habit was flicking the springy, door stops in every room. Endless fun, apparently.

Despite all those odd behaviours and sometimes irritating habits Logan counted himself lucky that Sophie's behaviour reflected that of a domesticated cat rather than her predatory snow leopard or wild white tiger. 

Just as he turned to the chapter on aggressive behaviour there was a sudden yelp and a crash of furniture from the rec room.

Then a powerful, furious roar.

 

\-------------

 

Sophie had good friends. They were always understanding and accommodating whenever she told them she didn't want to eat in the cafeteria or hang out somewhere noisy. Other times she just needed to be alone. Marie seemed to understand best of all.

The best time of day for Sophie was the evening. Each night after Mr. Howlett found her and sent her to bed, she'd often sneak out of her room a while later in her smallest form and go to the gym hall. She hid her gymnastic clothes there so she could change and practice her aerial dancing. So far she had not been caught.

But life at the school was not all fun and games. Aside from the mountain of homework the constant noise kept the feral on edge. She had never been an aggressive person but these days she had been biting her tongue a lot.

She continued to meditate. She could do it for slightly greater lengths of time but it was only a temporary relief.

That particular Sunday was a windy, rainy one. Sophie, Kitty, Marie and Jubilee were having a girlie chat in the rec room. Sophie had wanted to go outside but she did not like the feel of wet fur or hair.

Most of the students congregated into the rec room as that was where most of the entertainment was. Most were watching movies whilst others were playing fooseball and other games.

So she was already distressed by the amount of noise there was around, yet she hadn't spent much time with her friends recently so she decided to grin and bare it. 

Her patience suddenly drew thin when two boys and pyromaniac invited themselves into the conversation. Bobby sat close to Kitty, Kurt sat between Marie and Jubilee, and John perched himself between Jubilee and Sophie.

“Did you guys hear about the talent contest?” Bobby suddenly asked out of the blue.

“I didn't know they did that here,” Sophie answered, curious about the event. They never did anything like that in her old school.

“It'll be in a few weeks. Sophie, you should enter,” Kitty suggested.

“OMG chica you should!” Jubilee exclaimed. “We'd love to see you dance!” 

“No one wants to see Grey Bush hang herself,” John suddenly said. Sophie gritted her teeth, catching the snarl before it escaped. It was a new nickname that referred to the theory that her pubic hair matched the colour of locks. He'd never find out.

“And what would your talent be?” Sophie asked sarcastically. She raised her hands in the air as if reading a billboard; “Hotplate and his Flaming bag of Crap.” She sensed the irritation bubbling in him but she couldn't detect anything else over his dry, burnt scent. 

John shrugged “I don't know. Maybe I could.....” John sat back in his chair trying to seem casual. “SCARE SOMEONE!” he said suddenly, jerking forward.

It wasn't the movement that startled her but the sudden voom of hot, deadly fire by her ear. She felt the heat across her side. She yelped and jumped up but the unpredictable element burnt some of her hair, the shoulder of her top and a the skin underneath. The action and been so rapid and threatening something instantly clicked inside her before she even registered the damage done to her. 

All at once her bones shifted. Striped fur pushed out of her flesh. Her clothes were torn to pieces as she suddenly formed into the white tiger. Her large and foreboding body crashed down on the table and chairs, breaking them on impact. That one moment that displayed unparalleled power was enough to petrify each person in the room. 

Then she roared.

Everyone was stunned into silence, eyes fixed on the huge, wide jaw bristled with sharp fangs and teeth. Her white and black stripes were dark and bright, making her the sole vocal point of the room. She stood out like a slash of red paint on an old painting.

Her roar lasted several seconds and still no one moved. She paused for a moment, eyes locking onto John. She rejoiced as the colour fell away from his face. Beads of salty sweat formed on his brow. His heartbeat suddenly rose a gear. 

The tiger licked her lips.

John's eyes widened and he stumbled into the middle of the room. Everyone else backed against the walls.

She bent her hind legs for a moment then leapt across the space. Just as she was about land on her prey a heavy figure collided with them both. Strong arms surrounded her and she was thrown. She landed smoothly on all fours and turned on the new opponent.

He quickly stood on his two legs, moving into a state of readiness but with his arms low, palms out facing her. Logan stood between her and her prey, the quivering chuck of meat sweating and panicking. Good. She wanted him to sweat. She wanted him to be afraid. 

Logan stood with his knees bent, ready to move. He'd have to get his arms around her again if she lunged. She was just too big. Three times the size of himself with strong muscles from jaw to paw. Her teeth were bare and her face was drawn into a snarl. The fur down her spine was crinkled. He didn't need a book to tell him she was seriously pissed off. 

She was enraged.

Yet she was wary, which was good. But her impatience was rising. She began to pace around him, looking for an opening. 

“Easy now,” Logan whispered, eyes clocking the magnificent creature in front of him. “Easy kid.” There was a significant burn on her shoulder. Part of her beautiful coat and fallen away to reveal sore, pink flesh underneath. It wasn't serious but she was furious about it.

Sophie snarled at him, pissed off with him for interfering.

“I know,” he said, communicating with the beast. “I know yer pissed off right now, but you ain't gettin' to him.”

She paced some more, impatient. She growled a warning, ordering him to get out of the way.

“That ain't happening darlin'.” He said soothingly as he edged forward with his palm out to her. “Just let it go and we'll fix ya up.”

Logan edged a little closer, his hand reach out to pat her. She flinched and growled at him. When his hand didn't move she made a snap at it.

“Hey. None of that.” Logan said sternly, stepping closer. He reached out to her again. “Just let it go.” This time she didn't flinch. She lowered her head slightly and accepted the gesture but growled anyway, just to tell him she wasn't happy about. He place his hand over her forehead, his fingers sinking into the thick, soft fur. His hand was large but it looked tiny against her. 

“Come on. Lets go to the infirmary,” he told her warmly, standing up straight. He led her out of the rec room, noticing that all of the students were pushed against the wall. Except for John. 

The boy remained sprawled on the floor with his eyes locked on the huge, wild animal. Logan walked between them but as they passed him Sophie paused, her eyes locking onto John. She jerked in his direction, roaring loudly. 

Logan did nothing. He knew she wouldn't make strike him now he'd reigned her in. She simply wanted to scare him and put him in his place. It was her saying 'I'm letting you live today, but only because I choose to.'

As they went towards the door Scott and Ororo rushed into the room. Their eyes widened at the scene. 

“What happened?” Scott asked.

“Ask him,” was all Logan said as he jerked his head back to John. “Marie,” he spoke, calling her over. The girl approached him, calm and collected. She was the only student who wasn't disturbed by the incident. “Bring Sophie some clothes down to the infirmary.” Marie nodded and took off.

Logan led Sophie to the infirmary. They walked in silence. The only sound between them was the pad of her large paws and the thump of his heavy boots. He could smell the simmering anger in her and the tang of her burnt skin. 

Hank was nowhere to be seen but luckily Logan knew first aid. One of the many skills he had which still required some explanation. 

He placed a clean patients robe on the examining table and pulled the curtain around Sophie to give her some privacy. As she shifted and pulled the robe over herself as Logan collected the things he needed to treat her burn.

She pulled the curtain back abruptly enough to startle Logan. He turned to see her sit on the table with the robe bare over her left shoulder, revealing the burn. 

He could smell that some of her hair had been burnt but she had such an abundance of curly locks it was barely noticeable. Gently he brushed it aside and away from the wound. But as it swept over her shoulder he noticed other marks on there. There were scars across her shoulders and likely all over her back. Old scars of varying degrees. Anger rose in him.

He gritted his teeth and focused on the task at hand. Logan carefully cleaned the wound, cringing when she winced in pain. He moved around her slowly as she was still tense and agitated but she was gradually coming down from her tigress high.

Just as he finished covering the burn Marie walked into the infirmary carrying some clothes. “The Professor wants to talk to her,” Marie said softly, placing the clothes down on the table smoothly. 

Logan ground his teeth. He supposed he should be grateful that he had been allowed a few moments to treat and access his feral ward. 

"You okay?" Logan asked Sophie, trying to catch her eye but she wouldn't look at him.

She nodded but her scent told him otherwise.

He and Marie left her to get changed. As they waited for her to come outside Logan asked Marie what happened. She told it how it was. The short end of it was that Fire-Prick had antagonized Sophie and startled her with one of his fiery tricks. Being that she was already on edge, her only impulse had been to lash out. He told her to keep the gossiping down to a minimum and if anyone else was giving Sophie a hard time, tell him immediately. 

Sophie emerged having crashed down from her rage into a deep, sombre mood. She was fully dressed in casual clothes that showed no excess flesh. Without a word she followed him to the Professor's office. 

As they rounded the corner John and Scott were sat outside waiting. Sophie tensed at once, her anxiety rising. Logan placed a hand on her good shoulder. "Just tell it truthfully. The Professor will know if you're lying. I'll be in there with you."

They sat opposite John and Scott. The boy sat in defiance, his eyes drilling into Sophie who tried to disappear in her seat, head down and hands in her lap. Logan sat next to her with his arms crossed. John then took out his lighter and preceded to flick it open, light it up and close it again.

Sophie flinched each time the flame popped up. 

“Put it away,” Logan growled. The colour fell away from John's face and he lost is resolve.

A moment later Ororo left the Professor's office, having relayed to him what she learnt from the witnesses. She held the door open for those waiting. John and Scott entered first. Sophie and Logan followed. 

The Professor was stern but calm. He had a great deal of experience for dealing with unruly students. “Take a seat you two,” he instructed coolly. 

Mr. Summers and Mr. Howlett stood either side of the Professor. It was an intimidating sight for both of the teenagers. A wall of discipline and disapproval.

The Professor took a long laboured sigh. “There is no need for you to tell me what happened. There were plenty of witnesses.” 

Logan frowned. He should have spoken to the Professor before and tell him that Sophie had the same problem as him. She wasn't too blame; the fight-or-flight instinct ran too deep to ignore.

The Professor turned to the boy first. “John, we have spoken about this before. You were told not to use your powers outside of the Danger Room and never use them in crowded places. We're fortunate that Sophie was the only one hurt although that is nothing to be grateful for.”

His gaze then turned to Sophie who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “I'm particularly disappointed with you Sophie. You have a great deal of power and strength, more than you probably realise. The result of you lashing out in anger could be fatal. We were lucky Mr. Howlett was nearby to stop you.” Sophie winced at the words, remembering all too well the blood lust she felt when she lunged for John. 

He paused for a moment, looking between the students. “Is there anything either of you would like to say?”

The was a lengthy pause before John spoke first. “I didn't do it out of malice. I was meant as a dumb joke,” he explained. 

The Professor simply nodded and turned to the withdrawn girl. She fidgeted in her seat. Logan could smell the distress rolling off her. She was split down the middle, desperately wanting to run off but there was something she was in two minds about saying. 

“Sophie?” The Professor pressed. She looked up to meet his gaze then looked to her mentor for support. Logan nodded once, reminding her what he said.

Her lip trembled as she chose to share some personal information. “...My dad used to burn my fur whenever he caught me in one of my forms....” She swallowed down a sob that tried to escape. She wasn't going to burst into tears in front of Flameboy.

After a few moments she found her voice again. “...It wasn't a concious decision....to attack John.” She explained hoping they'd believe her. 

The silence was piercing as that information hung in the air. After a minute John spoke out quietly. “I didn't know that.” 

Logan's eyes were fixed on Sophie. The anguish she displayed in her scent was unbearable. She shifted over and over, anxiety building up inside her. Her flight instinct had kicked in again and all she wanted to do was flee and hide. 

Just ask darlin'. Logan thought to himself. Just ask and I'll let you go.

“May I be excused?” She asked so quietly only he could hear.

“Yes,” Logan answered immediately not allowing the Professor a chance to make that decision. In his opinion no one else had that jurisdiction. 

Sophie jumped out of her seat at once and dashed out of the room. Logan used his senses to track her fleeing steps. She went outside into the rain where no one else would be.

The Professor then excused John and told him to wait outside till they decided what his punishment should be. 

Logan, Scott and the Professor spent a good deal of time arguing what the punishment should be for the two teenagers. It was relatively easy for them to decide the punishment for John. His lighters and matches were to be confiscated and he would help the cleaners for four weeks. 

Sophie's punishment led to a heated argument. 

Scott and the Professor had been in favour of a six week grounding to being with, simply because she tried to attack another student. Logan had to convince them it was a terrible idea. Half the reason she lashed out was because she was wound up and cooped up. She needed freedom, peace and space which was hard to come by in the school. Confining her to the building would only make her worse. 

When they suggested cleaning out the stables for six weeks he shot that down too. In fact every idea they had Logan shot down immediately. He didn't like them trying to make that decision for him. After all she was his ward.

Eventually they came to an agreement. But truthfully Logan didn't think punishment was necessary. He knew she was remorseful and she acted in defence. 

As he left the school to locate her Logan rethought some of the plans he had for her mentoring. They would take a break from hunting for a while and focus on meditating. He hadn't realised how much strength she had as a tigress, so he'd need to teach her how to pull her punches and slashes. 

Her scent was easy to follow. Logan had in memorized from the first moment he met her. The scent led to the lake but it became foggy under the fresh rain and bold scent pine trees and sap. It took him a while to locate her. Sophie had curled up beneath a low, wide hanging branch of an old pine tree. She was good at hiding no matter what form she was in. 

When she looked up at him he saw her eyes were bloodshot but the tears had dried off. She just needed to get it out of her system. 

Logan sat opposite her, deciding not to invade her hiding spot. He didn't say anything. He just waited.

After five minutes Sophie finally spoke, “How do I stop it happening again?”

Well that confirmed what he already knew. Punishment wasn't necessary, she was already punishing herself. “Ya learn to be patient. And to take a hit.” He said honestly. “That'll be easier when your healing factor kicks in.”

She just nodded, her eyes down to the ground.

“I wont lie to ya. Your life ain't gonna be easy,” he told her. Finally she looked at to him. “Your senses aside, its a difficult line to walk. Half human, half animal. Not many people get that.” He admitted before sharing something that had been concerning him for a while. “It may be harder for you. Some men will be intimidated by you, the rest will wanna own ya. And women will be jealous of ya.”

“Why would they be jealous?” She asked, her innocence touching him in a deeply primal way.

“Darlin' there's a lot to be jealous of. You're powerful, smart and you'll stay young and beautiful as everyone else grows old and wrinkly.” He sighed, deciding it was time for him to share something personal for a change. “Can be pretty lonely. Watchin' people get older as you stay fresh as a daisy.”

She smiled slightly at that, a blush rising to her face. Then she looked at him through her long lashes. “I don't feel lonely,” she said sweetly. 

He paused, taken aback by the amorous statement. It was a simple, innocent thing to say but he didn't miss the warmth between her words. 

“And I hope you never will.” Logan replied uncharacteristically. There was affection in his voice that he hadn't used around her before. She didn't miss it. Her senses reached out to him in an attempt to read him. He could tell she was listening to his pulse, pulling in his scent and studying his posture. Her head tipped to the side slightly whenever she was curious, confused or expecting something. 

He didn't want her to read too heavily into him so he quickly changed the subject. “Anyway...we still have to punish ya for attacking a student,” he told her. 

A peculiar smile rose to his face. “I hope ya like kids. You're on nursery duty.”

Sophie's bright eyes widened in horror. “What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of work and devotion has gone into this episode. I hope it's worth it! PLEASE COMMENT!!!


	9. Silk and Velvet

Sophie stood in the middle of the nursery as chaos erupted around her. Being that she was a creature of quiet leisure and peace her patience was waring thin.

She reminded herself that they were only children with as much energy as herself. They simply exerted it differently. But their feelings were raw and sharp. There was no subtlety. If a child was upset, they made sure everyone knew. 

About seven young children ran around her. Several of those had been abandoned by their families simply for being mutants, whilst others were orphans or had been rescued by the X-Men. Like herself they all came to the school looking for a home and family. She had to admit she did see many of her fellow students as family or pack, depending on who it was.

It was getting towards their bedtime and she needed to calm them down if she was going to get them to sleep. An idea occurred to her. Quickly she went to the small kitchen attached to the creche and prepared several cups of warm milk and cookies 

The children charged to her once they got a whiff of the treat but Sophie had the sense to hold it high and out of reach. “If you want these you have to sit down and be quiet,” the girl said bluntly. 

The kids eagerly obliged. Once they were sat around her Sophie handed them a glass of milk and a cookie each. Whilst they were busy Sophie picked up a book and began to read it in her smoothest, calmest voice. Every now and then she feigned a yawn which began a chain of yawns amongst all of them. 

She kept glancing up at the children to see and sense their attitude. When their eyes were droopy and the yawns became more frequent she brought the story to an end and began to usher them to bed. One girl insisted she be carried as her legs were ‘drowsy.’ Sophie complied simply because she wanted to start practicing her dance all the sooner. 

Sophie tucked each child in bed and waited till they were asleep before she left. She knew they were asleep as their heart rates and scents changed once they were under. 

She left their bedrooms and took a moment to compose herself, leaning against the wall and breathing deeply. 

Stuck in her human clothes Sophie tiptoed across the school, using her senses to determine if she had clear route to the gym. She arrived there in no time and immediately changed into her dancing gear. 

Sophie dived straight onto the hanging silk and began practicing for the talent contest. A thick, safety mattress was laid beneath her, just in case. She enjoyed dancing on her silks. It helped her clear her mind. She could just focus on moving and moving was easier now she was a mutant. Sophie realised she was more flexible found herself sliding into more challenging positions, even the splits. She enjoyed the freedom that came with it all and especially enjoyed choreographing her own dances. 

Her sensitive ears caught brisk footsteps down the corridor heading straight to the gym.

As quickly as she could Sophie climbed up the silks and into the metal rafters of the gym roof. She pulled the aerial silks up just in time before the door swung open. 

From the rafters Sophie sat and watched Mr. Summers approach the sound system in the corner of the large hall. He walked into the centre of the gym. After a moment salsa music began to trickle through the speakers. The man immediately began dancing, his hips and feet moving in time to the music heavy with a cuban twang. Sophie bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. 

He carried on for around twenty minutes, completely oblivious to the student hiding in the rafters. Once he felt refreshed he removed the CD from the stereo and left, returning to his normal straight-laced self. 

Far too disturbed to carry on practicing Sophie threw the silks down and glided down to the floor smoothly, not even flinching at the great height she was at. She landed softly on the thick safety matt and quickly changed into her normal clothes. 

She was far too awake to even contemplate sleeping so she began to form a plan of sneaking outside. What she didn’t realise was that all the doors were locked at curfew, so the only way out of the building was via a window. 

She ventured into one of the corridors on the far side of the school and opened one of the windows. Just as she was climbing out a voice startled her.

“Goin’ somewhere kid?”

She turned her head quickly to see Mr. Howlett standing in the shadows, his arms crossed. Sophie cursed inwardly, annoyed that she hadn’t even sensed him there. She reminded herself that her mentor had mastered the art of stealth long before she was even born. 

“How much trouble am I in?” Sophie asked him instead, knowing the penalty for sneaking out of rooms after curfew was quite heavy.

“That depends on how well you talk yaself out of it,” Mr. Howlett answered immediately. 

Sophie felt a sense of relief. Her mentor might be stern and intimidating but she knew he would always be fair. “I'm nocturnal,” Sophie began. “I can't sleep at night. I keep getting the urge to-”

“-to dance?” He interrupted, an eyebrow raised.

Sophie saucily rolled her eyes. “To hunt,” she corrected. “Dancing is an alternative.”

The teacher nodded, understanding the overwhelming primal desires that came with being a feral, but frowning nonetheless. She was far too sweet and innocent to do such a savage thing. 

_But is she really?_ Logan asked himself. _Only a couple weeks ago she nearly mauled one of the students. Would have done if I let her._

“You should have told me,” he said.

Sophie’s long lashes fluttered as a sly smile crept on her sweet face. She bit her plump, red lip saucily as if to say ‘I know I should have, but it was more fun doing the wrong thing.’ 

Jesus. Logan cursed to himself, suddenly feeling heated by the sinful gaze in her eye. Where did that come from? He took a step back.

“Alright, but ya have to be in bed by two,” he stated firmly. “And I don’t want you falling asleep in class. I’ll get you a Nocturnal pass.”

She nodded but he discerned a sense of willfulness in her, just beginning to emerge. 

Something told him she was going to become a handful.

He was just grateful she wasn’t sexually curious yet. 

\------------------

The entire school had collected in the massive sports hall. No expense was spared for the great space. It was the venue for many school events so was fully fitted with stage lights and a state of the art sound system.

To help deal with the growing number of students, Charles had split the school into houses. There were four houses in total but each teacher was ‘form’ tutor to a number of students. And as luck would have it, Logan wound up with the most troublesome students including John Allerdyce, Jubilation Lee and of course, Sophie Pryde. It took a great deal of energy trying to keep them under wraps but when it came to the talent competition, they all came together to support the contestant that represented their form; Sophie.

After the incident with John she had earned a lot of respect from her fellow students. It was something that not even Logan could understand. He sat next to Jubilee as he waited for the show to start, trying to figure it all out. 

_Many are scared of her. Most are too scared to approach her, as if she’ll snap any second. But there’s something about her that draws people in nonetheless, whether it’s to be nice or not. She’s kind and calm most of the time with a bright smile and curious sparkle in her eyes. Her laughter was infectious and her hair shines like silver._

_It’s always the hair._ He reiterated, recognising the primal attraction men have for healthy, glossy hair.

_But she’s hard to pin down. Always wandering off with a far off gaze. Can’t even guess what she’s thinking. That has a magnetic attraction to it as well._

Suddenly the lights in the hall dimmed and a spot light appeared in the center. Miss Munroe appeared in the spotlight and began to introduce the show. 

“Welcome to our 10th Annual talent competition. Each student has worked at great lengths to practice their specific talent to showcase to you all,” Ororo began. “Some have performed before, others haven’t. At the end of the show you’ll all vote for your favourite, then we’ll announce the winners.”

Up high in the rafters, Kurt sat beside Sophie. They watched the show from the great height, enjoying the view. 

Sophie sat wondering why entering the contest seemed like such a good idea at the time. Her heart was pounding and her palms were sweaty with stage fright. To try and calm herself Sophie mediated, focussing on her breathing. 

She didn't watch the other students perform. It made it all too real. 

Luckily the lights were set up skilfully as the audience remained in darkness. That helped. And the music was loud. That was also good. If she couldn't see or hear the audience, she could pretend they weren’t there.

Eventually Miss Munroe introduced Sophie on stage. The entire hall was plunged into darkness. Sophie pulled on her feline senses to see and feel her way into the open space. She threw down the grey, shimmery silks and slid down them to medium height. 

When she was in position she looked up into the rafters and gave Kurt a nod. He teleported down to the students operating the sound and light system and told them she was ready.

[Song: Displaced by Azure Ray]

The lights and music started at once, revealing her in a gentle glow. Sophie sat in a swing twisted and held by her own strength. She wore a black, velvet leotard that covered her chest and arms but revealed her long, curvy legs and in no way hid her plump chest. Her hair looked silver and sparkly in the gentle light.

Logan knew it was not a dance of sexuality. The music was sombre and graceful and her dancing mirrored that. The lyrics were innocent and sweet, just like her. She moved slowly yet surely but also carefree. Each knot or twist of the silks was made with surety and confidence. She displayed no sign of shyness or fear. For once she seemed serine. 

And yet curse it all, Logan couldn’t look at her with anything less than a lustful gaze. He could hear each brush of the fabric against her soft skin and the light woosh of air each time she turned and flipped on the soft silks. She was incredibly flexible and agile. She easily slipped in and out of precarious positions, including provocative poses like the splits.

Logan was stunned. Where was this artistic, graceful and eroticic woman hiding inside that shy kitten?

 

Over time 'Kitten' became Logan's secret name for his pupil. He never said it aloud, usually called her kid or by her maiden name. Day by day he had to constantly remind himself that she was his student and out of bounds. Even the way she looked up at him like a wide eyed kitten reminded him of that. Yet it wasn't enough to deter his attraction for her. It made life very difficult.

A teacher and student relationship was out of the question. Out of the conversation. Not even talked about. Charles Xavier was not the strictest of Headmasters but the one thing he would not tolerate was a romantic relationship between a teacher and a student. He'd be kicked out of the school immediately. He wouldn't put it past the professor to mentally erase the memories of such an affair. 

Yet again, Logan counted himself lucky that Sophie wasn't sexually astir.

Sophie was enjoying herself. Oddly enough the nerves she felt moments ago had transformed into an inspiring form of adrenaline. Her feline senses tingled with elation. The height, the poses and stretches both thrilled and appeased her. She just moved with the music.

She hung high on the silks; upside down, her legs, torso and arms held in the perfect arc. The grey silks was wrapped once around her hips, then over twice along her left leg. The soft fabric hung loose from her ankle until she reach back and pulled it taught. She held the position for a long moment, feeling her muscles stretch.

The tranquility came to an abrupt end. An unexpected vibration ran down the length of the silks, alarming Sophie. She looked up to see the hook holding the silks turning. By itself. Sophie felt her blood run cold right before her lifeline popped out of the rafters. 

Logan jumped out of his seat as soon as he heard it but was too far away to help her. Heart in his chest he watched her fall.

She fell faster than the silks, the long strips of fabric seemed to float around her. Faces flashed past, all of the wide eyed and twisted in horror. Except Dr. Jean Grey.

She had a look of satisfaction about her.

The floor came flying towards Sophie before she could figure out which way was up. Then everything came to an abrupt end. 

The girl was surprised to find that her feet hurt. When she looked down she was surprised to find herself crouching on the ground. The music came to an end there and the fluttering silks finally settled on the floor. 

Logan exhaled a heavy sigh of relief. _She’s okay._ He told himself. _She’s alright._

When he sat back down he couldn’t ignore the pair of inquisitive eyes boring into him. Foolishly he turned and found Jubilee looking at him curiously, wondering why he had reacted such a way. Afterall, cats always land on their feet. Logan shifted uncomfortably under the stare and directed his gaze back to the stage, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. 

Sophie dared a glance at the audience who were stunned into silence. When she slowly rose to her feet a slow clap began which quickly transformed into an uproarious applause. The admiration from her peers was genuine.

She hadn’t felt attention or affection like it before. It was heartwarming but overwhelming. But amongst the mingling scents of praise and delight was a bitter tang of resentment. Sophie’s cool, silver eyes met the intimidating green orbs of the red headed teacher. Suddenly the woman got to her feet and swept out of the gym hall. Sophie watched her leave before she dashed out of the limelight and went to wait with the students that had performed. She sat amongst them silently, holding herself.

A couple more students performed after her, including Kurt who was not a stranger to the stage. He was the last to perform so as he left the stage Miss Munroe came on and told the school it was time to vote.

Twenty minutes dragged by as the students and teachers handed in their votes. Miss Munroe and Professor Xavier counted the votes. When they were tallied up the teacher and headmaster came on stage, followed by all the contestants.

The Professor faced the school, proud and pristine in his immaculate suit and tie. “It is a great honour for me to be the headmaster of this school, even during these difficult times,” the Professor said calmly. “I am blessed to see the next generation grow and evolve into valued members of society. To me all of you are special and gifted.”

Miss Munroe stepped forward as the Professor finished his short speech. “Now to announce the winners of this year's talent contest.”

“Third place is Taileigh Bellamy.”

Taileigh was stunned and thrilled. She stepped forward to the Professor who placed a medal over her head. With a skip in her stride she walked onto a makeshift podium and took place on the third step.

“Second place is Kurt Wagner.” Several students cheered. Sophie picked up Jubilee’s voice high and above everyone else's. She smiled to herself.

Sophie waited anxiously for the whole ordeal to be over. She had been enjoying herself up until the moment she fell. In that moment she honestly thought her number was up. How she managed to land on her feet she had no idea. She was still reeling from the incident although the school had managed to move on. It was the Xavier way. 

But the look on Dr. Grey’s face left a disturbed feeling in the pit of her stomach. But what was she going to do about it? Would she stay quiet and suffer in silence like she was so good at? Maybe then the problem would solve itself. Or should she tell someone and hope that the issue wouldn’t get worse?

A sharp nudge from one of the students snapped her out of her disquieting thoughts. When she looked around she discovered all eyes were on her. What did she miss?

‘Come forward Sophie,’ The Professor’s voice resonated inside her head.

The girl immediately followed the instruction and walked forward to the Professor. He had a kind smile on his face. He lifted up the first prize medal and placed it over her shoulders. “You deserve this Sophie,” the Professor whispered. “Enjoy it.”

Sophie sighed in relief as she walked over to the podium. The headmaster was letting her know that she was off the hook now and could forget all about the incident she had with John. She knew she acted out in self defense, but truthfully she had frightened herself that day. 

A final applause was given to the winners, warming Sophie with a human and feline pride.


	10. Authers Message

This is a quick message to let you all know that I'm going backpacking for four and a half months starting tomorrow.   
I'm going around South-East Asia. I'm very excited although it does mean I wont be able to post that often.  
I will continue to write but obviously it isn't high on my priorities.   
But be sure I'm not giving up on my stories, I love Evie, Sophie and Logan far too much!

Lastly I'd like to say thank you to everyone that has favourited, followed, kudo'd and commented on my work, I'm very grateful! 

Ta-ta for now!


	11. Sickness

Lately Logan found many reasons not to be at the school. He was not good at communicating with people, and he lived with hundreds of them. The smells and noises assaulted him day and night. He hated children, in fact they scared him. And then there was the one thing reared it's ugly head numerous times during school term. Flu.

One day one of the younger kids fell into the swimming pool on a cold morning and failed to dry their hair quickly before classes. By the end of the day, half the school was sniffling and sneezing. Twenty-four hours later and most of the school were down with flu. The few of them with heightened immune or healing factors were left to help, support and take care of everyone that was sick as a dog.

He hated it. The smell was near putrid and the general atmosphere was like listening to Celine Dion at a memorial service. But it was his begrudged duty to pull his weight in all disasters.

Around midday he was helping Hank, Jean and Scott in the medbay surrounded by nearly fifty kids, coughing and sneezing like the damn morning chorus. Not long into his shift his ears picked up a familiar voice despite it being spoilt by blocked sinuses.

“No. No way,” Sophie said bluntly with a bunged up nose.

Scott sighed. “You have to take this if you want to get better.”

Logan smiled to himself. Try as he might Scooter would have no chance in getting the feral to do something she didn't want to. Himself on the other hand...

“Get that fucking spoon away from me before I shove it up your ass,” Sophie snapped with a growl just as Logan pulled the curtain back in the small bay. He couldn't help but smirk at the scene. 

Sophie sat on top of a hospital bed wearing countless layers with her arms crossed and face set in determination. Scott stood with his mouth open, holding out a spoon of medicine.

“I got this,” Logan said, taking the medicine from him and ushering him out of the bay. He turned to Sophie, trying to hide his amusement. 

So this shy kitten has bite after all... Wolverine growled approvingly in his ear.

“You gonna cause trouble today?” Logan asked her with a firm look.

“I'd rather eat dry cat food than that shit,” Sophie argued.

Logan snorted. He had overheard Jubilee dare Sophie to eat some dry cat food. Sophie confirmed that cats really do hate dry food. According to her it tasted like cardboard. 

“Hank designed this himself. It's good for you,” he explained with a smirk. “It doesn't taste that bad.”

Sophie raised her eyebrow. “It smells like toilet bleach. I am not putting that in my mouth.”

“But you'd happily shove it up someone ass?” He asked her, thoroughly enjoying this new, feisty side of her. “Even mine?”

Her eyes narrowed. “It would match your claws...”

Logan couldn't help but grin.

“If it's not that bad why don't you try some?” Sophie suddenly challenged. 

Logan looked at her sternly for being childish but when he saw the determination in her face he realised she might think less of him if he passed on the challenge. It was just a fleeting thought, but one that disturbed him. For reasons beyond him, he did not want to seem weak around her. He was her alpha. Her mentor. He had to lead by example.

Suddenly he swallowed the spoonful of medicine and gulped it down. But the taste ran over his tongue and it was quite a struggle not to pull a face. “Tastes like oranges,” he said, silently congratulating himself on a job well done. He promptly poured out a fresh spoonful.

But he noticed how her eyebrow flickered in suspicion and she studied him carefully. After a moment she spoke. “Hank taught me how to detect a liar.”

Dammit.

And he thought he was her mentor.

Suddenly he pinched her nose and tipped her head back, making her mouth open in surprise. “I'll have to thank Hank for that,” he said, tipping the medicine inside and holding her mouth shut.

She pulled a face instantly but refused to swallow, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. “Swallow it. Swallow.” He ordered her in his most dominating voice, one he used only on special occasions.

She responded to the alpha dominance and stared at him wide eyed before gulping down the awful substance. He released her at once and watched her pull face.

“Alright, now go and get some sleep but stay in your human form,” Logan told her, handing her some water to wash it down. “It might take you longer to get better if you shift.”

Sophie drank greedily then hopped off the hospital bed.

“Can we talk later?” Sophie said ever so quietly. Which meant she did not want anyone else to hear.

Logan looked at her and sensed the tension in her. Something was bothering her.

“I'll find you later. Go get some rest,” Logan instructed. 

Sophie nodded. “I'll be in the greenhouse,” she whispered. 

Logan grunted but didn't miss the way she spoke softly and secretly. It filled Logan with pride. Did Sophie see him as a private confidant? Someone to rely on? The idea of that young, pretty girl wanting to depend on him both excited and scared him.

The rest of the afternoon Logan was distracted. He decided it'd be best to let the girl rest but it didn't appease the curiosity or concern both he and Wolverine felt. 

What's the matter with me? Logan asked himself. All wet behind the ears over some broad.

But she isn't a broad is she? She's a girl. Logan scowled. She might look like a woman from time to time but she is a girl.

Time. The Wolverine muttered to Logan. In time she'll be a woman. 

Logan suppressed a growl of frustration. She was his student and thoughts like that were well out of line.

As soon as he could Logan slipped away from the infirmary, stretching his senses to the faculty to make sure he wasn't spotted. Luckily the corridors were empty. All the sick people were resting and the healthy ones were holding up the fort.

Netherless Logan put on his famous, intimidating scowl so no one would bother him if he was caught sneaking off the job. He wasn't a fool. He was well aware that most people were scared of him and being a creature of solidarity he wasn't above using that fear when it suited him. 

With determination Logan first went to the cafeteria and grabbed two tray fulls of food. On one tray he chose good portions of protein filled meat, vegetables and a good selection of fruit. On the other tray he picked a fish option with a different selection of vegetables and fruit. Logan had watched her eating habits closely and found them to be mystifying. It seemed to depend on what kind of feline she was feeling, but even that was guess work. He could only try and make her eat healthily. 

He brought the food to the greenhouse and listened closely. There was only one heartbeat in the room. A light but steady beat.

Logan found Sophie in a private corner of the greenhouse amongst some jasmine. She curled up amongst a collection of pillows and blankets. She was sleeping soundly. 

He couldn't help but study the soft, angled contours of her face. She had an exotic look about her which kept her heritage a curious mystery. Her thick lips were pursed in a sweet, sleepy smile. 

Setting the trays on the ground Logan gently placed a large hand on her shoulder and gently shook her.

She woke instantly, her silver eyes fluttering open to look up at him. “Mr Howlett?”

Logan winced at the uncomfortable title. “Call me Logan when we're outside of history class,” he said assertively. 

Her eyes widened a little but then her face brightened. With a sound that was half groan half purr Sophie stretched her limbs just like a feline. 

She sat up crossed legged as Logan sat down opposite. Sweetly, Sophie offered him a couple pillows for his comfort. 

“Which one is for me?” Sophie asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. 

“Whichever you want,” Logan replied. 

She reached for the fish meal after politely thanking him.

They ate in silence for a while. Logan's eyes flickered back and forth from Sophie to his meal. When he realised the habit beginning to form he moved his gaze elsewhere; the plants and flora Ororo put so much love into, the cozy den Sophie created and assorted items around her. There was a couple school books, an empty carton of juice, her sketchbook and a notebook. 

The notebook caught his attention. What kind of teenager makes lists? Discretely he read the first bullet point. 

Bungee jump 

“What's with the list?” The words were out before he could stop himself. Damn it all. It wasn't his place to ask.

Sophie looked up, her eyes wide and a blush on her cheeks. He hadn't expected her to respond in such a way. He knew he shouldn't press her for the information, but she was as unpredictable as she was mystifying.

She remained silent for a moment, a sheepish look on her face. Eventually she answered. “I didn’t realise how much my life was going to change until my hearing changed,” she explained. “So I made a list of things to do before my healing factor kicks in.”

Logan nodded. “Can I see it?”

Sophie bit her lip but slowly handed it over.

The list was short but full of surprises. Logan read the neat writing, carefully weighing eat bullet point.

Bungee jump   
Sky dive  
Get drunk  
Have a hangover   
Get high   
Have a near death experience   
Go to a gay bar  
Try catnip  
Get a tattoo

“Catnip?” Logan’s brow raised and a humoured smirk found its way to his stoic face.

Sophie's blush deepened which only made her more endearing. “Am I in trouble?”

Logan shook his head. “No. I think it's a good idea,” he said honestly. “You only get to be young once so hold on to it. The rest of your life you'll be an adult.”

Logan knew that as a teacher he should be frowning upon her wish to use narcotics but he knew that once she gained her healing factor it would take a whole lot of alcohol and money to get drunk. And she'd never have a hangover. 

As for the tattoo, well who knew if she'd get to keep it or if it'd heal over. 

It was was a short list but a good start. It seemed like she was looking for thrills.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about?” Logan asked her. 

Sophie slowly shook her head and Logan sensed her mood shift to one that was dark and anxious. 

“Did you see what happened to the rigging during my performance?” Sophie asked him, her tone serious. 

“No,” Logan replied. I was watching you. 

"The rigging turned and came apart,” Sophie told him quietly. “On its own.”

Logan frowned. “Are you sure it was set up properly?” He asked, trying to remain rational. 

“I checked it myself. Twice,” she answered. “Mr Howl- Logan, I saw it undo itself.”

The frown on his face deepened whilst he studied her. She was still tense which meant there was more. “You think someone did it.” 

Sophie nodded slowly, her eyes fixed on him.

Logan felt his temper rise. “Who?”

She bit her lip in an uncertain way. “The Phoenix.”

Logan's mouth dropped. “Where did you hear about that?” 

She tilted her head to regard him. “I overhear a lot of things,” she told him honestly. 

“You got it wrong kid,” he said in a dangerously low voice. 

“You didn't see the look on her face as I fell,” Sophie pointed out as calmly as she could. “She looked satisfied. And when I landed safely she stormed out of the gym.”

Her mentor didn't answer. He remained deep in thought. 

“Haven't you noticed her scent?” Sophie asked him. 

Logan looked at her, unable to mask the slight pang of guilt and realisation in his own scent. He had, but what he mistook for sexual tension had been the sign of the Phoenix trying to escape. 

Logan scratched his beard, deep in thought. What had triggered it?

He studied Sophie's body language carefully. She sat upright as usual but there was no tension in her body. He had no doubt she was telling the truth. Infact he was certain his student would never lie to him.

"Are you okay?" Logan asked carefully.

She smiled sweetly. "I know it wasn't Jean who did it," she replied instead. "And now I know what it's like to have more than one personality."

Logan smiled at that. It was a surprisingly mature way for her to respond and he greatly admired that. 

'Sides, it's not the first time she's been the punching bag for someone, Wolverine reminded Logan with a sense of agitation.

"'Least you landed on your feet, heh?" He said, trying to lighten the mood.

She giggled. "Maybe there's something in the nine lives theory?"

"Nah," Logan replied. "You're a pro on those silks."

A blush formed on her pretty face. She fell silent and looked down, but her gaze fluttered back to him through her long lashes.

There it was. That lingering look that ignited something fiery in him. He couldn't hide the heat he felt when he saw that gaze. She sensed the change in him and raised her eyes to meet him.

Logan stared into her silver eyes and was lost for words, as was she. They simply gazed into each other, sharing a secret, silent moment. A look that said a thousands things.

Suddenly the door to the greenhouse opened and Ororo stepped in. 

Although they were out of sight Logan and Sophie's moment was killed. “Leave it to me,” Logan said quietly enough just for Sophie to hear. 

Without giving her a chance to answer he sneaked out of the greenhouse without being spotted. If he wasn't the healthiest man in the mansion he'd think he was taken taken by some kind of sickness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had some great feedback recently so thank you all :)


	12. A Day at the Zoo

The atmosphere in the school coach was dizzying. The coach was filled with students of varying ages, all squeezed into one small, tin can with wheels. If the uncoordinated rocking of the coach wasn't already enough to turn Sophie's stomach then the mix of scents was pushing her over the edge. 

The younger kids were brimming with excitement whilst the older ones were apprehensive and bored. It left little room for Sophie to express her feelings about the trip, so she remained silent and tried to ignore the churning in her stomach.

When the trip was announced Sophie tried desperately to excuse herself. She told Logan that going to view cooped up animals like pieces of art was the last thing she wanted to do. They belonged in the wild. He simply told her it would be for her benefit and that she was going. It was final.

Sophie didn't believe him but he was the one person she couldn't argue with. It was like an invisible muzzle was placed over her each time they disagreed on something. The words were on the tip of her tongue but were stuck there. 

As soon as the coach pulled up Sophie dashed off before the teachers could follow. She breathed in the fresh air deeply and soon felt better. The rest of the students began to file out of the coach, filling the parking lot with chaos and noise.

Logan watched her from a safe distance. As he studied her he noticed a slight change in her appearance that appeared almost overnight. The tight jeans she wore showed off the muscle she somehow gained. She wore a black t-shirt that said in bold letters ‘WTF: Where's the food?” Though it was a baggy shirt it didn't hide the small breasts underneath. 

“Senior students,” Miss Munroe called out, snapping Logan out of his thoughts. “You can explore the zoo on your own to work on your assignments, but be here back for three-thirty for the coach back to school.”

Marie, Kitty, Jubilee and Sophie immediately took off and went around the zoo on their own. They started in the aquarium where they spent some time admiring the colourful fish and marine life, until Jubilee told Sophie to stop liking her lips.

“I'm hungry,” Sophie complained, wanting to sooth the ache in her stomach. 

“You’re always hungry,” Kitty answered with a roll of her eyes.

After that they went on to the ‘African planes,’ which held a collection of wild animals from the huge continent. 

Sophie imagined that her heart would ache at the sight of animals kept in captivity. She thought they'd be cooped up in small, uncomfortable cages with no natural plants or anything to make them feel at home. With little food and water. What she she saw instead was just the opposite. 

The zoo had gone to great lengths to create a healthy and happy habitat for the animals. There were large enclosures with clean water, natural plants and enough space to exercise. They were happy creatures and according to a sign, they were either born in captivity or rescued. They couldn't live in the wild so they had a home made for them instead.

Sophie's mood had improved drastically until she caught the sound of obnoxious boys jeering and apes screeching in distress. Her temper rose and suddenly her feet were taking her to the racket. Her friends called after her but she continued to stride over to the trouble makers.

Two boys stood over a large, sunken enclosure. Their scent was unfamiliar, so they weren’t from Xaver’s school. They had pulled junk out of a trashcan and threw it at the gorillas below. They laughed and sneered at the upset animals who cried and jumped in frustration and rage. 

Suddenly they felt a push against their backs and they were falling forward. When they were almost horizontal they suddenly stopped, their underwear feeling tight and constrictive. 

They turned their heads to see a gray haired girl holding them by the back of their underwear, a fierce smirk on her face. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” One of the boys shouted.

“Playing with trash,” Sophie answered.

Below the gorillas were calling and waving their long limbs, urging her on.

“Let us go!”

“Okay.”

They felt a jolt and suddenly they were a little closer to the furious apes bellow. 

“No!” “Stop!” they cried at once. 

The smell of terror was coming off them in waves, fresh and sweaty. 

Sophie licked her lips.

“We were only having fun!”

Sophie scowled. “You think they found it fun?” she asked, nodding to the animals below. 

“No!” they both cried out, close to tears.

“All living creatures deserve respect,” the girl said. “Except maybe you!” She gave them another shake for good measure which had the boys wailing. 

“We're sorry!”

She tutted. “It's not me you should apologise too,” she told them. “Apologise to them.”

They fell quiet, shame flooding over them.

“Do it!” the feral barked, losing her patience. 

“I'm sorry!” They called to the apes.

Sophie yanked them back up like they were rag dolls and pulled them away from the enclosures edge.

They stumbled to their feet and took several steps away from the girl. She held her head high and measured their scents. The boys were embarrassed most of all, presumably because they had been overpowered by a girl. But beneath that was a cold sense of shame and guilt.

Good. The feral thought. 

“Unlike you, animals can't tell you when their suffering or in pain,” Sophie told them. “Remember that.”

The two boys nodded and ran off with their tails between their legs. 

“Wow Chica,” Jubilee said behind her. “I was certain you were going to throw them to the apes.”

“Yet you didn't try and stop me?” Sophie pointed out, feeling irate.

The girl simply shrugged. “They would have deserved it.”

Kitty shook her head. “Come on, there's a wolf pack we have study for class.”

\---

“The pack formation is the key to the survival of the pack. At the head of the pack is the Alpha or Alpha pair. The alphas make all the decisions for the pack, like when to hunt and eat. They also receive special treatment, often being the first to eat and having the first choice of activities.”

The zoo guide explained through a microphone as people gathered round the wolf enclosure. 

“After that there is the Beta, the second in command. They tend to take on duties such as patrolling territory, taking care of pups and maintaining peace and order. If the alpha dies they usually take command.”

Sophie listened keenly, the pack dynamics seeming to make sense to her on a deep, earthly level. 

“The omega is the runt of the pack. Like a court jester they will try and instigate play to leviathan tension within the pack, but will receive most of the aggression from the other wolves. It is a painful and low place to be, but a vital role that keeps the pack from falling into chaos.”

Sophie considered the pack dynamic and why the knowledge had touched her so. It must have been her inner animal that found sense in the primal way.

It was obvious where Logan fell in that criteria. He was alpha. A dominating, fearless leader whether he realised it or not. 

It suddenly hit her. Like a pack a family had a leader, an alpha to make the decisions. Her father had been the alpha in their tiny family. An alpha like her father had a great deal of anger, and that anger had to be unleashed somewhere. And as their was no one else under his roof that automatically affirmed her as the omega.

An odd feeling came over her. Her human self felt anguish that her own father forced and held her in that degrading position. But the animal inside seemed to accept the position with an attitude that seemed to whisper For the good of the pack.

\---

The four girls stood with their nose pressed against the glass window. They watched with wide smiles as several baby pandas tumbled around in a cosy play area. 

They cooed and giggled together as they tried but failed to get the pandas' attention.   
Sophie spotted a subtle change Jubilee's scent and knew that trouble was around the corner.

"Kitty, let us in?" Jubilee whispered.

Kitty stared at her with eyes wide as saucer. "What?" She squeaked.

"Phase us in!" Jubilee urged.

"We'll get into trouble!"

"No one's around," Sophie confirmed.

"They'll only give us a slap on the wrist. Come on!" The firecracker pushed.

"I don't know..."

"We'll never get this chance again," Marie pointed out.

Kitty sighed in defeat. She didn't stand a chance and she knew it. 

"I know you really want to do it, so stop dawdling," Sophie chided her playfully.

Finally Kitty's smile matched the cheeky grins of her friends. She held her arms out and the girls grabbed her. As one they phased through the glass and into the pandas pen.

Each of them knelt down and began to play with the adorable creatures. They marveled at their soft fur and sweet grunts. 

Sophie lay giggling on the ground as three panda cubs climbed over her and tickled her sensitive skin with their fine fur. It was then the strange but familiar sensation hit her. 

She sat upright, making one panda slide from her chest into her lap in what they considered to be an act of play. 

"Kitty!" Sophie cried out with a worrisome tone. She held up her hand to find short black hairs pushing through her skin, forming a coat of fur.

Kitty looked up in time to see her cousin, covered in black hair suddenly shrink and disappear behind several baby pandas.

She got to her feet immediately, Jubilee and Marie following her.

Confusion crossed their faces as all they saw was a bundle of joyful, lazy baby pandas crawling over Sophie's clothes.

"Where's Sophie?" Kitty asked, noting how the catchphrase of their group had managed to follow them out of the school.

Just then a small panda poked its head out of the t-shirt. But it was different from all of the other panda's. For one it was grey and white, nor black and white. 

Frowning, Jubilee reached forward and picked up the bundle. “How are we going to explain this to the Professor?”


	13. Just a Crush

“Jean.” 

The redhead looked up from her papers and locked her green eyes onto Logan. Her smile was wide and bright. “Hi Logan.”

He awkwardly squeezed into the school bus and sat down in the seat next to her. When Logan realised that Jean had opted to stay in the coach and catch up on marking assignments he quickly vanished from his chaperone duty and went to confront her at last. 

But he didn't find what he was expecting. Instead of the sultry, fiery woman that burnt his nose and fogged his senses there was the normal, calm and collected Jean with her nose buried in books and papers. She wasn't wearing a provocative dress, just a simple blouse with jeans. Her red hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail. 

“How are you doing Jean?” Logan asked, trying to assess her. It wasn't a question he normally asked and he worried it might make her suspicious. 

“I'm good,” she said casually. She didn't seem suspicious. “And you?”

“Yeah, good.”

Jean returned to her papers.

“Jean I have to talk to you about something,” Logan said after a minute of silence. 

She smiled knowingly. “It's about time.”

“‘Scuse me?””

“I'm surprised it took you this long to realise,” Jean continued. “I thought you were more observant.”

A deep, puzzled frown creased his brow. “So did I.”

“I think its sweet,” Jean raced on ahead leaving him to catch up. “So many of the girls form crushes on teachers when they first arrive. But I think Sophie's crush on you is a little deeper.”

Logan's mouth fell open and all other thoughts were forgotten. The hell did that come from? His heart jumped in his chest and he felt the hairs on his neck stand.

“How do you mean?” 

“Well considering the destructive relationship she had with her father, it's only natural that she'd crave affection from a strong male,” Jean explained all too plainly.

Logan felt like he took a hit in the chest by a shotgun. 

“And then there is the feral bond between you two, which is deep in itself.”

Her words made perfect sense, as much as it pained him, but the Wolverine was whispering into his ear, ‘She's wrong, she's wrong!’

For once he wanted to believe the Wolverine and let him drag him down the dark and bloody path. But that always led to pain and misery.

He silently thanked Xavier for building barriers in his mind, protecting him and everyone around from unfriendly telekinetics. 

“What should I do?” he asked unable to hide the concern in his voice.

The redhead simply smiled. “I wouldn't worry about it. It's just a crush. She'll get over it.”

Logan opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he heard a voice from outside the coach.

“See, I told you no one would be here,” Kitty Pryde said with a nervous tremble in her voice.

“Well we can't walk around the zoo with her like this,” Jubilee pointed out. 

“And we don't know what we're gonna tell everyone.” Marie said calmly. 

Logan and Jean stepped off the bus to find the three girls huddled together.

“Tell us what?” Jean asked, making the girls jump.

They turned to their teachers with varying expressions of worry. The tell-tell sign of students who'd gotten themselves in trouble they couldn't get themselves out of. It was a sight Logan loathed but enjoyed all the same. 

“Where's Sophie?” Logan asked when they didn’t answer. 

The three girls paled, looking every bit sheepish. After a long moment Jubilee finally stepped forward and held out a bundle of clothes. The scent of Sophie was all over them but something else lay over them. Something he wasn't familiar with. 

Confused he took it from her. A piece of clothing fell from the pile to reveal a furry, white face with large sleepy eyes.

In disbelief Logan let the rest of the clothes fall to the ground. In his hands was a small, grey panda wearing a large shirt that said ‘Satan's Bitch.’

He howled with laughter. 

\---

Logan, Hank and Xavier watched panda Sophie chew on bamboo shoots and tumble across the examining table.

Her feline finesse had been replaced by a clumsy, dopey persona that left Logan constantly on guard. She kept rolling to the edge of the table and again and again Logan pulled her to the center until he gave up and held her against his chest, under his large arm. Her feet dangled and her front paws and chin rested on his forearm. No one had bothered to take the obscene t-shirt off her.

"So what's the verdict?" He asked Hank and Charles.

"Well this incident may answer some questions about Sophie's mutation," Hank began. "Most shape shifters can change at will. They remain the same on the inside," Hank tapped his own forehead, “but their appearance changes."

"Sophie is different. I believe she can absorb the DNA of certain animals and adopts their generic coding," Hank explained.

"The problem is she also adopts their behaviour, and there lies the problem," the Professor explained. "As a feline she still holds onto her own personality and memories, but the pandas behaviour seems to have pushed her own aside."

"Pandas are famous for being lethargic creatures. Their only source of food is bamboo which has no nutritional value. It barely sustains them," Hank explained.

The Professor sighed. "I've tried probing her mind but I could barely get through the animal. She doesn't seem to remember what it was like to be human let alone have a desire to turn back."

Logan's eyes widened. "So you're saying she's stuck like this?"

Hank nervously scratched the back of his head with his large blue hand. "I'll try and create a serum that would block her powers temporarily, but I'm reluctant to give it to her untested." He'd been down that hideous road himself. 

From under his arm Sophie groaned. Logan's ears detected a hungry grumble from her small stomach.

"Do whatever you can Hank, we can't look after this overgrown furball for ever," Logan said as he walked out of the lab.

As he made his way to the greenhouse to set Sophie loose on Ororo's bamboo patch a thought struck him.

He detoured to the girls dorm and invited himself into Sophie's room. 

It was a risky move for she has become more territorial recently. She accepted that she had to share her home with countless other people, but each day she spent some time inspecting her favourite hiding and viewing points to make sure everything was in order. He knew it was difficult for her to share a room with three other girls, especially when Jubilee couldn't comprehend the idea of personal space. Or perfume quantity, according to Sophie. In fact she had filled in a request form for a separate room but so far it was sitting at the bottom of the pile.

It turned out she wasn't exaggerating. Jubilee's bed was closest to the door and the smell of perfume, candles and nail polish was beyond pungent.

He'd have to see if he could get her request bumped up the waiting list.

Logan walked past three beds, unable to stop himself inspecting the room. He had never set foot inside a teenage girl's room before. Teenage girls were like unstable bombs of hormones. You never knew when they were gonna blow. And walking to their bedroom was like walking into the lair of a grizzly bar. Fascinating but frightening.

The walls were covered with posters from music artists to young, pretty faced men with their shirts off. The mirrors had either fairy lights or feather boas around them. The room was so bright, sparkly and feather filled it would put Liberachi to shame.

Except for one corner by the window. It was there he found Sophie's small den. 

She had erected a light green curtain around her corner, perhaps in an attempt to minimize the intruding smells.

Logan dropped panda Sophie on the bed and looked over the small space. Aside from a bed, she had a bookshelf, wardrobe and bedside table to herself. There wasn't much on display and Logan couldn't decide if that was because she was neat or she had little belongings. The only decorative item was a few sprigs of a fern tree on her bedside table. He suspected it was because she enjoyed the scent.

The bookshelf stored her class books and a couple books on wild cats. A small cluster of CD's were piled together with an iPod and stereo. A few art supplies and her sketchbook took the third shelf. The two bottom shelves were empty.

His eyes were drawn to the sketchbook. Without a second thought he grabbed the book and sat on the bed where Sophie lay. The first sketch was a small bird, drawn in pencils with intricate detail from feather to claw. The second a coloured landscape of the woods just off school grounds. The book was full of pictures of wildlife and flora. Most seemed to be from a unique perspective, as if she had memorised them from her feline eyes. He flicked through the sketchbook casually admiring the skill his protégé had. 

His eyes stopped on one page, disbelief spreading across his core. 

A perfect sketch of himself was looking back at him. 

He glanced back at the creature beside him, blissfully ignorant that her secret had been discovered. 

The portrait was acutely accurate from the weathered lines on his face to the hairs of his sideburns and his dark eyes. His hair had been drawn perfectly. His lips were pulled into a soft, kind smile.

Logan pondered over the drawing. He couldn't make heads or tails of it. When did he ever smile like that?

He couldn't deny that there was some kind of connection between the two of them, but he always assumed that was because of their similarity in power and feral behaviour. He only knew of once other feral, Sabretooth, and he had no interest in building a relationship with him.

But a relationship had definitely formed between him and his student. Something beyond an educational bond. Sophie's crush on him wouldn't have been such a terrible thing if his feelings towards her were purely platonic. But they weren't. 

 

Her gaze and scent could put him in a lustful state and nowadays his mind was usually on her than anything else. And the fact that her figure was blossoming faster than her years was a constant distraction. The image of her dancing on the silk ropes were forever branded in his mind.

It had to stop. Logan knew his and the Wolverine's limits and they stopped well before the desire she could ignite in him. He had to put a wall between them before he ruined her for good. 

He returned the sketchbook to its rightful place and opened the window, allowing air to rush in and clear his scent away.

It was then he noticed something unusual. Beside the small CD collection was an old tape player. The buttons were worn and shiny from relentless use. He open it to find a mixed tape, with a label turned brown with age that simply said ‘Lullabies.’

Sophie groaned in hunger.

“Yeah, I know. Your hungry,” he said taking the tape player and scooping her up. “You’re always hungry.”

With a purpose he marched to the greenhouse. With his claws he cut several pieces of bamboo and laid them in front of the panda. Tediously Sophie slowly munched on the plant but would always ask for more. Her attention was solely on her own stomach. Any attempt at communicating with her was blatantly ignored. 

When at last she was full, the panda flopped onto her stomach. Logan quickly pulled her to him and held her up right. If she fell asleep he could kiss his plan goodbye. 

He pressed play on the cassette player and waited. 

A woman's voice began to hum from the player. Sweet and full of love. Her voice was beautiful. Logan didn’t recognise the lullaby that was sung, but when a baby's voice joined the woman's, he realised what he had stumbled upon.

The baby was Sophie, before she could even form words. The woman singing must have been her mother, singing her to sleep.

It was warming to hear Sophie at such a young stage in her life, but it was something else to hear the tender moment between mother and child. It was nature, love and emotion as one.

Logan didn't know anything about Sophie's mother other than the fact she left when Sophie was a child. He found it hard to believe. There was great love between them.   
Did Sophie even remember anything about her mother? Was this all she had of her? 

There was a change in Sophie at that moment. Her scent had shifted from the bland aroma of a clueless creature to a pain filled child that had been abandoned. Her figure grew as the white and grey fur shortened and thinned till her usual, olive skin returned. Once she was fully human Logan found his arms wrapped around her and her silver, curly hair in his face, filling his nostrils with her sweet, earthy scent.

Wearing only the black t-shirt she managed to keep on during her shift, Sophie remained still and silent, trying to gain her bearings. 

Eventually she spoke. “What happened?”

“You shifted into a panda at the zoo, but you wouldn't turn back,” Logan explained quietly. “This was the only thing I could think of to bring you back, otherwise Hank would have had to poke and prod you with God knows what.”

“Oh.”

Neither of them moved. 

“You wanna talk about it?” Logan asked carefully.

“No,” she said after a moment. 

"I'm sorry,” Logan said suddenly. 

She quickly rose to her feet. “Don't be, you never abandoned me,” Sophie said before walking out of the greenhouse. 

Logan watched her go, feeling all the more guilty for what he had to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Been so busy these past weeks. I've travelled to Thailand, Cambodia and not I'm making my way across Vietnam. It's been amazing, especially doing it with my boyfriend who brainstorms with me for my fanfiction. 
> 
> Not sure when I'll post again, I need to tackle a massive chapter with Mutant Refugee first. Thank you for being great, patient fans!


	14. Authors Message

Just a quick message to put you all at ease. I haven't given up on this fanfiction. I've just been very busy since getting back home as I've been getting back to work, getting high, catching up with friends and job hunting. Oh, and then I found out my country is leaving the EU...so now I'm pretty depressed.....

Anyway, I have started writing the next chapter so expect it soon!


	15. For The Best

Sophie left Dr. McCoy's lab feeling a little less confused than usual. At last she understood her mutation a little better.

She had the morph gene and feral genetics, two very strong DNA strains that found a way to work in ‘harmony.’ 

As Jeffrey Goldblum would say....Nature...always finds a way.

Whenever animal she touched her morph gene would take its DNA, copy and save it into her own genetic structure. Personality and all. They didn’t know what animals that was limited too but it was safe to say most land born mammals. 

So now she had another animal under her skin. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. 

The panda wasn't a hyperactive creature and at present was quietly contemplating in her subconscious whilst the snow leopard stalked around yearning for adventure, the house cat scratched at her boredom and the tiger demanded food. Preferably of the raw meat variety.

 

Sophie sighed and rubbed her temple. It was getting crowded in there. 

The tiger needed appeasing first so she headed to the cafeteria hoping it wasn't too crowded. 

She hadn't crossed the corridor when her favourite scent filled her nostrils and made her hair stand up. All four animals beneath her skin stood to attention with their ears pricked up.

Her beloved mentor came into view and his eyes met hers instantly. His expression was as mysterious as ever but a slight nod from him told her to follow. The felines in her subconscious wanted to leap into action, their long agile limbs dutifully leading her following him.

Surprisingly it was the panda who became the sensible voice of reason. There's no need to hurry, it whispered...it's docile nature calming her and bringing to her senses. How would it look to everyone around? A student chasing after her teacher...

So she walked at a casual pace behind him as he led her outside and into the trees. The smell of fresh rain and pine cloaked them both, the sounds of the school became distant chatter. Both of them were drawn to the forest...It almost seemed poetic that they'd spend time together there. 

Logan turned to her and Sophie realised how tense he was. She had been so absorbed in herself that she hadn't notice the unease of her mentor. At last she saw the years on him. His shoulders stooped as if he were carrying the world on his shoulders. 

Several thoughts flew into her mind at once, each animal firing their own concern.

‘Have we upset him?’

‘Is he angry with us?’

‘Has he spoken with Professor Grey?’

“How are you feeling?” Logan asked suddenly. 

Sophie hesitated. “Weird,” she answered, hoping it would excuse her reaction to anything she was about to hear. “It's getting crowded in here.” She said, tapping the side of her head.

Her mentor nodded but his uneasiness didn't settle. He swallowed a lump in his throat. “It's time to finish our lessons.”

The statement hung in the air. Even the animals inside her head fell silent.

“Why?” She asked, trying to swallow the panic rising in her.

Logan sighed, making the tigress bristle. “‘Cause you've become too dependant on me,” he said, making each feline flinch. “It's clear that you're looking for a father figure. But it can't be me.” 

Sophie remained silent, unable to speak or think. Where did this come from? Had never treated or looked at him like a father? No. The complete opposite. 

There had been many moments between them. An electric moment. A look of longing. A deep understanding for each other. And she knew he felt the same.

Her cool, silver eyes studied him closely. Her senses tuned into him.

His heartbeat jumped and he shrank under her gaze.

There it was. The anxiety of being caught. The sign of a lie. 

“That's not the real problem here is it?” Sophie said more calmly than she felt. 

His guard slipped and Sophie got a taste of the shame he felt. But he had many years on her and quickly disguised his feelings with his usual stoic mask. In only infuriated her more.

“It's for the best, kid,” Logan said after a moment, in a way that felt painfully detached. 

Her bright eyes stared at him in disbelief. Logan saw the pain in them, but he had to remain strong. He couldn't give in.

At last she spoke, her words full of venom and pain right before she turned her back on him. “Best for who I wonder.”

Logan watched her go, filled with tremendous guilt and self loathing. He couldn’t ignore the way her silver hair shone and bounced as she walked away from him. She smelt as luscious as ever, even with the bitter pain spoiling her scent. It took all took all his will power not to run after her scent a pull her into his arms. 

Instead he slid out his claws, the pain grounding him as the blades sliced open his skin from the inside. “For both of us, darling,” he muttered to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last! I'm sorry it took so long to write this guys. I was planning on getting to it when I got back home, but then politics made me depressed T___T So please cheer me up with a message of some kind :)


	16. Insight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last! Sorry for the long weight folks, been super busy. Got a new job! Yay!

Three weeks later...

“Sophie…”

“Earth to Sophie…”

“SOPHIE!”

The girl nearly jumped out of her skin but managed to remain seated. “Jesus! What?”

“What is with you?” Kitty asked.

Sophie avoided her gaze. 

“You've been acting weird ever since the zoo,” Marie said. “Are you okay?”

Sophie shifted on her bed uncomfortably. “I guess I'm still getting acquainted with the panda,” she lied. 

“Well why don't you put aside the greetings for one night and come to the lake party,” Kitty said indignantly. Not many people understood what it was like to have several animal behaviours roaming around your brain, and her cousin was not an exception to that.

“It doesn't work like that,” Sophie protested weakly. “....what lake party?”

Kitty huffed from her bed. “We've been talking about it for the last twenty minutes.”

“Some of the senior students are throwing a party on the other side of the lake,” Rogue explained from her bed. “Jubilee is planning on crashing it…”

“So that means we're crashing the party with her,” Sophie finished. “Great…” she sighed.

She barely returned to her work when her sensitive ears picked up erratic steps hurdling up the stairs. “Jubilee’s coming…”

Moments later Jubilee flew into the room, panting and looking dishevelled. She looked at her three friends lying on their own beds, surrounded by books. “What are you doing?!”

They stared at her blankly. 

“Homework…” Marie answered carefully. 

“Why aren't you get ready?” she exclaimed. 

“The party isn't for another four hours…” Kitty answered.

Jubilee pinched the bridge of her nose. “Have I taught you nothing? This is the seniors party of the year! Everyone will be there,” she explained with fevered passion. “Do you even know what you're going to wear?”

Marie and Kitty looked at each other and their eyes widened. Suddenly they sprang up and began pulling endless clothes from their wardrobe. 

Sophie groaned internally. She hated the ‘dressing game.’

Then Jubilee turned to Sophie, an apprehensive smile on her face. “Are you done acting weird now?”

Sophie's eyes narrowed. “Weird?”

Her friend huffed. “Weird for you. You've been wallowing in here for weeks,” Jubilee said bluntly. "When are you going to start acting like all feral again?”

Unable to give an answer, Sophie looked down. She sensed the curiosity and concern in the room rise, directed entirely at her.

“What are you hiding from?” Jubilee asked suddenly. 

“Nothing,” Sophie snapped all too quickly. 

“Well then,” Jubilee said suspiciously. She walked over to her nightstand and picked up her large make up box. “If you have nothing to hide you won't mind me giving you a makeover for the party.”

Sophie's eyes widened. At once she shifted, shrinking in size and growing her favourite coat. In her leopard skin, she quickly shrugged out of her clothes and leapt out the window. Her wide paws landed on the tree branch by the window and she skilfully made her way down the large tree and onto to the ground. 

“Knew it.”

The leopard sighed. Apparently she wasn’t that good at hiding her feelings. 

Sophie stretched out her long limb and tail. She widened her jaw and scratched the earth with her claws. The process of settling in her knew flesh used to feel like a relief. But not anymore. Each time she morphed the emotional wound she sustained opened up again. The wound was a human one, or so she thought. 

Sophie couldn't deny how much she missed her mentor, but she couldn’t get a handle on the emotions of her animal counterparts. The tigress was bitter and angry, whilst the snow leopard felt inadequate and ashamed. The Siberian house cat moped around like she was abandoned. As for the panda...well the panda had been solemnly quiet.

So Sophie remained in her human coat, most of the time. Her territorial habits ceased, she stopped hunting and remained indoors all the time. She retreated into herself. Yet the animal emotions still found a way to filter into her human core and play havoc with her.

No wonder her friends thought she was acting weird.

For the first time in three weeks, Sophie wandered into the forest. Her wide paws barely made a sound over the ground. The soil was slightly damp and birds were tweeting, pecking into the earth for worms. The rustle of leaves and creak of old branches. Her claws itched, wishing to jump and climb. Perhaps it was and good idea.

As she leapt from branch to branch she felt some of the frustration and bitterness roll off her. What had she been thinking? It felt good to be out in the wild with the wild through her fur and earthy smells tickling her senses. 

She jumped off a branch from a great height as a snow leopard and landed as a tigress. She felt her muscle mass increase and her bones shift into the powerful cat. Her wide paws padded across the forest floor, barely making a sound. 

The clarity that came with a wild animal was reawakened in Sophie. Being out in the open simplified things for her. She shouldn’t have allowed herself to mope around for so long and refuse to morph. Each animal was a part of her now, and none of them could or should be ignored. It was a hard lesson to learn and accept but no matter how she felt they weren’t going anywhere. She would have to make time for each part of herself. It wouldn’t be easy, but she knew a good way to start.

Suddenly she turned on her hind legs and bounded back through the woods towards the school. Her powerful limbs saw her back to the large, stoic tree by her window. Digging her sharp claws into the bark she climbed up it skillfully and leapt through the open window. Her large weight landed and heaved her bed a few feet to the side. The bed groaned and creaked under her. 

The girls had left, probably on their way to the lake. Just as she jumped off the bed her ears picked the sound of a fluttering piece of paper. It landed on the floor softly. She crept over and read it.

‘Sophie please stop acting weird and come to the party. We picked out a few outfits for you. We love you.”

If she were in wearing her human skin, she would have blushed.


	17. Party Animal

Music and voices drifted across the far side of the lake. Even from such a distance Sophie could smell the smoke billowing off the bonfire. As she got closer the crack and pop of burning wood could still be heard over the elicit party. A large sound system had been constructed and several beer coolers were scattered around. There were a couple tables covered with food. One student had set up a BBQ and was proudly wearing a chefs hat as he tended to hot dogs and burgers.

Various things impeded on her senses. The bass filled music was so loud it hurt her ears and she couldn’t make out one conversation from the other. The smoke from the bonfire filled and irritated her nose, coupled with a variety alcoholic fumes. And she was surrounded by people she didn’t know.

It was impossible to track down her friends with so many distractions in the way, which was frustrating. She knew her tracking skills could improve so much further but she needed guidance….she needed--

The girl shook the thought out of her head before it could take root. This was her night, and it wouldn’t be her night until she stopped thinking about him and thought more about herself and what she wanted to do.

So…what did she want to do?

Truthfully, she had no idea.

“I gotta find Jubilee,” Sophie said aloud.

In an attempt to gain a clear perspective Sophie walked to the outskirts of the party, away from the disorienting sounds and smells. She wandered through the trees trying to catch the scent of any one of her friends, but the circumstances weren’t in her favour. Instead she spent a good while wandering through the woods and stumbling upon students making out in the dark.

Resigning herself to be a failure of a tracker Sophie returned to the large bonfire. More students had joined the gathering since she had arrived, bringing along more implements considered to make a party an ‘awesome party.’

“Hey cat…cat!” A voice called.

Sophie slowly turned her head, her cool silver eyes landing on a small group of senior students. They sat on logs around the fire, passing round a joint. “You know my name isn’t Cat right?” Sophie asked them.

“But you are the kid that turns into all those cats right?” One of the boys asked.

“Yeah…”

“Didn’t you turn in a tiger and attack John?” A blonde girl asked. 

“You mean Hotplate?”

“Hotplate?!” One cried out before they fell about laughing. 

Her feline pride grew in size, pleased by the startling response. Maybe they had as much contempt for Pyro than she.

Suddenly one boy stood, taller than the rest with messy brown hair and bright green eyes. She didn’t need her specialist senses to know he was well intoxicated. He straightened his back and saluted her, sparking more laughter through the group.

“For your services to this school in keeping the Hotplate in his place and providing us with much hilarity, I present this!” The boy proclaimed bold and loudly, pulling the large joint from his mouth and presenting it to her. 

Sophie recognised the smell. Students at her old school would smoke it behind the bike shed. She never dared try anything like it before: if her father found out the beatings would have been brutal.

But she barely hesitated when the rebellious tiger inside her snapped at the memory. She swiped the joint from his slender hands and took a long drag. When she tried to inhale the bitter smoke caught in the back of her throat, invoking an unpleasant coughing fit.

Once it was over she lifted her head and felt a sudden wave of mellow euphoria wash all over her.

“Wow,” she said looking out at the world with pupils the sizes of saucers.

Her worries and stress faded away and were replaced with a carefree perspective Sophie hadn’t felt before.

Her senses took on a new life. Her ears seemed to relax and soon she found that the bustling noises around her sounded more like music….music of nature and life. Sounds melded into a symphony as her sense of smell picked out the most appealing scents around. The strong odor of burning wood coupled with a dizzying amount of human scents. The scent of beef burgers and hot dogs spitting fat over the hot BBQ made her mouth water. A sudden breeze wafted over a bouquet of salted snacks and sweets enticing an intense food craving. 

“Awesome, ain’t it?” The boy asked her. “What’s your name?”

“SOPHIE!” A voice cried from across the fire. Jubilee and Kitty stumbled over, their faces flush with wide smiles across them. Rogue followed closely behind them, seeming much steadier on her feet than their friends. 

Just as they reached her, a wave of intense glee came over Jubilee and she half hugged - half fell into Sophie’s arms.

“Sophieeeee! I’m so glad you’re here!” Jubilee cried out.

“Stop shouting,” Sophie said, rubbing her ear.

“Here! Drink this!” Kitty implored, pushing a bottle of booze in front of her face. “It has gold flakes in it!”

“That’s stupid.” Sophie pointed out, still enjoying the fuzzy feeling in her head.

\----

The atmosphere in the forest had consumed Sophie and her friends.

A wide, carefree smile adorned her face and her wild silver curls bounced around fanatically as she danced to what she thought was the best music in the world. She was dancing with Rogue who remained mostly sober. Kitty and Jubilee on the other hand were loose and frisky as they boldly danced with some of the senior boys. 

There were around forty kids at the party altogether. They had spread out across the woods. Some hung around the bonfire drinking and smoking whilst others danced or wandered off into the trees in pairs. 

For the first time she felt comfortable in her multi-hide. The panda simply rested in one corner of her subconscious, seeming to forsake responsibility for the evening whilst the felines pranced and played. 

Sophie stepped away from her friends to grab herself a drink. She walked across the small clearing to the makeshift bar. Nearly everyone had brought contributions to the stockpile of booze. There was a huge variety to pick from; Wine, beer, vodka, rum, tequila, cider and lots more than the curly haired girl recognised. 

She reached down to pick up a bottle of beer, deciding it to be safe option. But just as she straightened she inhaled the wind blew in from the direction of the school. 

She stopped short, wide eyed and looking directly into the woods. 

In an instant she was by Marie’s side, pulling her away by the arm. “Logan’s here!” She whispered.

The pair rushed over to their friends. Marie grabbed Jubile as Sophie dragged Kitty away. Both of the intoxicated girls protested loudly.

“You two are party poopers!” Kitty cried out immaturely. 

“I was dancing with Aiden!” Jubilee whined. “He’s the hottest guy in school!”

Suddenly Sophie rounded on them, her curly black hair bouncing in tiny ringlets. “The teachers are on their way! Come on!”

Sophie led her friends away from the party. She took them round the other side of the lake in an attempt to conceal their trail. They ran through the dark wood as fast as their stomach’s could handle. They could still hear the music as they ran by the large lake, until it came to an abrupt stop signalling the end of the lake party.

Suddenly Kitty stopped and stumbled over towards a tree.

“Kitty don’t thr-” Sophie began just as Kitty doubled over and heaved up all the booze she had drunk. “Dammit.” She grumbled as the putrid smell assaulted her senses. Growling slightly she grabbed Kitty and dragged her to the lake.

“Wha’ you doing!?” Kitty cried as she phased through Sophie’s grasp.

“I’m not walking back with you stinking like that!” the feral mutant growled trying to ignore the awful mess caught in her hair.

“Well thatss jush fine, Shophie,” Kitty replied sloppily, swaying on her feet. “I dun’wana walk wiv someun’ whose got more legsh than me anyway~”

Just as Sophie rolled her eyes Jubilee suddenly thrust her hands out and projected a short burst of plasmoid energy at their feet.

Sophie leapt out of the way, her feline feet directing her to a soft, graceful landing on the grass. 

Kitty however instantly lost her footing. Her ridiculous high heels crunched against the unstable ground. She lifted one leg and her two arms out in an attempt to stable herself but inevitably crashed into the water. Her face became the picture of thunder as Marie, Jubilee and Sophie each laughed at her expense. 

“Come on,” Marie called to them. “Let's get back before the teachers do.” 

Grumbling, Kitty climbed out of the water kicked off her heels and followed her friends. 

Sophie led her friends to the tree that sat out of their bedroom window. She climbed up it expertly before reaching down to give her friends a lift up. 

It was a messy procedure. All four girls were intoxicated and wearing the least practical clothing. A combination of high heels, short skirts and tight pants. Sophie’s bountiful hair blocked everyone’s view as they tried climbing up the branches, but when Sophie grabbed their hand, they were surprised by how easily she lifted them up. One by one they perched onto a branch, giggling and hushing each other at the same time. 

“Okay, now Kitty-” Sophie stopped suddenly, her nose twitching. A low involuntary snarl escaped her as a familiar, unpleasant smell drifted towards her. 

“What are you guys doing in that tree?” John called up from the ground. 

“Yeah, what are we doing in this tree?” Jubilee asked before bursting into an unexplainable fit of laughter.

A primal sound of frustration resonated from the back of Sophie’s throat, so Marie answered the question.

“That’s our room, dummy,” she said pointing to their window. “Kitty, phase Jubilee through.”

“Don’t miss,” Sophie warned them, her voice dripping with sarcasm and attitude. 

Kitty held onto Jubilee’s hand and together they took a leap of faith. 

The hard Physical Education lessons at the school paid off. They passed through the wall and window with ease but crashed onto Sophie’s bed. She heard several things fall from her nightstand and heard the two girls’ giggling.

She sighed in frustration but directed it to John down below. “And what exactly are you doing sneaking around the girl’s dorm?” 

“Calm down Mau-Mau,” John said in that condescending tone that got her heckles up. “I was cleaning the girls bathrooms.” He said with an unmistakable sense of vexation. “I’m guessing you guys were at lake party?”

Sophie gave him a look over and saw that he was wearing cleaners overalls and carrying a bag of waste from the girls sanitary bins. It brought a wide smile of contentment to her face, which only aggravated John further. 

Jubilee got to her feet and opened the window. With practised ease Marie grabbed a branch above and swung through the opened window. 

The feline mutant crouched down before looking down at John with a fierce gaze. “You dare snitch on us Bunsen Burner and I’ll claw your eyes out.”

And with that she effortly leapt through the window and landed beside her bed. 

That night Sophie went to sleep for the first time feeling like a real girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys....
> 
> Yeah, I know. A loooong time coming.
> 
> I know some of you are mad at me for seeming to have given up on this and I’m sorry I’ve kept you waiting. I just wanted to explain that I hadn’t given up. I’ve been suffering with major writer’s block. It’s not that I didn’t want to write. I really REALLY want to finish this, but I just didn’t know where to take the story next. I’m not even sure what the next chapter will be, but I’m not giving up.
> 
> I know how frustrating it is to be involved in a story for it to then suddenly stop. I’ve read countless fanfictions like that. Which is why I WANT to finish this story, especially because so many of you have told me how much you love it. I’ve not abandoned the story. I’m just stuck, that’s all. 
> 
> But I do read your comments each time I get a new one and I’m so happy that you guys like this. That why I won't give up.


End file.
